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FROM 



Bethlehem to Calvary. 



/ 



BY FAITH LATIMER./^vO^i^^^^ 



FIVE ILL.USTRATIONS, 



-^•^ OF CO/V<J-. 



NEW YORK : 
NELSON & PHILLIPS, 

CINCINN-ATI : 
HITCHCOCK & WA"LDEN. 

SUNDAY-bClIOOL D5':PAKTArE:>T. 



^'^t^ 



Entered accoruing to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by 

NELSON & PHILLIPS, 

in the Ollice of the Librarian of Congress at Wabhington. 



Tm L 



1 



MY FATHER, 

WHOSE LOVLN-a CAEE IMPLAls^TED A LOVE FOR SACRED READIIfG ; 

■WHOSE "WISE COUNSEL FOSTERED HABITS OF THOUGHTFUL 

STUDY ; "WHOSE HOPEFUL, TRUSTLN-G, UNSELFISH LIFE 

FURNISHED CONSTANT EXAMPLE FOR PATIENT 

INDUSTRY ; TO "WHOiT, "WHATEVER OF 

USEFULNESS IN LITERATURE OR 

IN LIFE IS DUE TO 

HIS MEMORY, 

THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED. 



PREFACE. 



T N the following pages will be found a simple 
and continuous rendering of the Evangelist^s 
story of the Life began in Bethlehem and ended 
upon Calvary ; and woven through the narra- 
tive, we trust, will be found gleams of that 
Divine Nature revealed through the vail of 
human flesh. 

Perhaps these pages^ may awaken in some 
more thought and love for Christ's works and 
words, and more trustful reliance on him as an 
ever-present Lord. The authorities used in 
its preparation have been the Holy Scriptures, 
Lange, Kitto, Trench, Ellicott, Alexander, 
Barnes, and many other works upon sacred 
literature ; in questions of Chronology, Robin- 
son's "Harmony" and Mimpriss's "Treasury" 



8 PREFACE 

have been, mainly relied upon. The places of 
Scripture reference are not usually given, for 
it is hoped it may stimulate, not substitute, 
Bible study, and that it may find a place in 
homes and hearts where the Master is a wel- 
come guest. 



OONTE]N^TS. 



INTEODUCTION. 
Lives of Christ — Birth in Bethlehem — Shepherds Page 13 

CHAPTEE I. 

THE CHILD JESUS. 

Wise Men— Herod— The Star — Offerings 21 

CHAPTEE n. 

FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 

Angel Message — Sorrow in Bethlehem — Herod — Called out of 
Egypt 26 

CHAPTEE in. 

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. 

In the Temple — In the house — At the Jordan — The Dove — 
The Voice 32 

CHAPTEE IV. 

THE TEMPTATION — POWER OVER SATAN. 

In the Desert — Satan Conquered — Angels Minister 40 

CHAPTEE V. 

FOLLOWING THE LAMB. 

Philip Called — First Miracle — Cana — First Passover — Jerusa- 
lem — At the Well — Samaria — ^Eejected — Nazareth 45 

CHAPTEE YI. 

POWER OVER DISEASE. 

Nobleman's Son — Capernaum — Centurion's Servant — ^In the 
Synagogue— First Circuit of Galilee 51 



lo Contents. 

CHAPTER VII. 

POWER TO FORGIVE SIN. 

The Paralytic— Scribes at Capernaum Page 58 

CHAPTER VIII. 

THE TWELVE CALLED. 

After the Second Passover. 66 

CHAPTER IX. 

THE BEATITUDES. 

On the Mount , 72 

CHAPTER X. 

TEAOHING TO PRAY. 

"Where, when, how, and to whom 77 

CHAPTER XI. 

THE. TWO FOUNDATIONS. 

On the rock, safety — On the sand, ruin 82 

CHAPTER XII. 

POWER OVER DEATH. 

Son of Widow, Nain — Daughter of Jairus, Capernaum — Laza- 
rus, Bethany 88 

CHAPTER XIII. 

MARTYRDOM OF THE BAPTIST. 

Second Circuit of Galilee — John in Prison — Sends Disciples to 
Jesus 96 

CHAPTER XIV. 

THE GRACIOUS CALL. 

As rendered in an old Bible 103 

CHAPTER XV. 

PARABLE OF THE SOWER. 

Shore of Lake Tiberias 108 



Contents. i i 

chaptek xyi. 

THE BEE AD OF LIEE — POWER OYER NATURE. 

Third Circuit of Galilee — Five Thousand Fed — Walking on 
the Sea — Peter — The third Passover, to which Jesus did not 
go Page 114 

CHAPTER XVII. 

THE CROSS FORETOLD. 

The Great Question 121 

CHAPTEPv XYIII. 

THE TRANSFIGURATION. 

While He prayed on the Mount , 126 

CHAPTER XIX. 

THE MIND OF CHRIST. 

A Little Child — Capernaum — Feasts in Jerusalem — In Perea — 
Children— Rich Young Man 132 

CHAPTER XX. 

JESUS THE CHRIST — THE MODEL TEACHER. 

Final Circuit of Galilee — Through Samaria — Ten Lepers — 
Luke's Writings — At a Pharisee's Table — His Parables — Great 
Supper — Prodigal Son — Rich Man and Lazarus — The Pounds — 
Anointed at Bethany 137 

CHAPTER XXI. 

JESUS THE KING. 

Mount Olivet — On the Way to Jerusalem — In the Temple 144 
CHAPTER XXII. 

THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

Days of Passion Week— Judas — The Upper Room 150 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

JESUS IN GETHSEMANE. 

Under the Shade of Olives praying 155 



12 Contents. 

chapter xxiv. 

JESUS BEFORE THE HIG H-P R I E S T. 

The Betrayal Pag^ 160 

CHAPTER XXV. 

JESUS BEFORE THE GOVERNOR. 

Pilate's Judgment Hall — Herod — Claudia — Procula — Ba- 
rabbas 164 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

JESUS ON THE cross'. 

Simon of Cyrene 171 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

THERISENLORD. 

Joseph— Nicodemus— The Tomb Sealed — The Women — An- 
gels — The Lord is Risen 178 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

THE EVE R-P RESENT LORD. 

Mountain in Galilee 184 



■♦•» 



^lluBixnixouB. 



The Strange Star and the Magi 2 

Nazareth 80 

Baptism of Jesus 36 

Roof of Oriental House 60 

The Reed and the Thorns 170 



FROM 

BETHLEHEM TO CALVARY. 



INTRODUCTION. 

OINCE the angelic choir chanted over Beth- 
^ lehem's plain there never has been a time 
when the knowledge of the Lord Jesus has been 
so wide-spread as now. Is it not matter of re- 
joicing to devout hearts that a course of univers- 
al Scripture study has been cordially adopted 
whereby, year after year, in many lands and 
many languages, the same life — its prophetic 
pictures in the Old Testament, and the fulfill- 
ment in the New — shall be the theme of study 
in home, school, and sanctuary ? Now, more 
than ever before, scholars will study and write of 
the words and deeds of Christ, our Lord ; wise 
Christians, ripe in their experience of faith, will 
bow their silver heads over the inspired page. 



14 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

They saw no man, save Jesus. 

and find new beauties there ; teachers will un- 
fold immortal truth from scenes of Gospel 
record ; and little ones, just beginning to lisp 
His name, will, for the first time, hear the won- 
derful story, and so, from the rising of the 
sun unto the going down of the same, the 
Lord's name shall " be praised.*' Is it not a 
forthcoming beam of the brightness of millen- 
nial glory .'^ 

But why another Life of Christ ? From the 
days of Chrysostom and the early Fathers there 
have been countless Lives of our Lord ; some 
mixed with traditions that time has laid by, like 
a threadbare garment ; some deep, scholarly, 
profound, in varied ages and languages. Nor 
has the literature of our own time lacked num- 
bers of such volumes ; some, alas ! fitted only 
to swell the tide of infidelity and doubt ; some, 
true in conception and correct in faith, as well 
as brilliant in descriptive scenes, glow with the 
writer's intellect rather than with the form and 
likeness of the " One altogether lovely ; " as 
though the artist seems to stand at the entrance 



Introduction, 1 5 



He is altogether lovely. 



of his Studio, pointing to his subject and say- 
ing, " See how I have painted him ! " Others 
are reverential and devout, but so profoundly 
classical they do not vibrate on the popular 
heart and daily sphere of ordinary common- 
place lives. Is it inappropriate that an artless 
pen, busy in service for Christ's " little ones," 
should strive to trace the living lineaments of 
his presence on earth t 

The glorious sun shines alike on the magnifi- 
cent tree towering in emerald green high toward 
the clouds, and on the prairie blossom that can 
only hold one drop of dew ; yet the flower's 
heart as truly reflects his rays, and gleams as 
brightly in rainbow colors, as the dancing leaves 
on the tree-top ; the shading of a wild-wood 
violet as truly shows our Father's divine hand 
as the matchless exotic unfolding in regal palace 
gardens. 

In John's vision he saw not only the four and 
twenty elders who cast their crowns before the 
throne, but every creature in heaven, and earth, 
and sea joined in the ever-resounding anthem 



i6 



From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Out of thee shall . . . come forth ... the Euler. 



of praise — " Worthy is the Lamb/' Let us, 
then, reverently join the " great multitude which 
no man could number/V in careful study of the 
life of Jesus on earth. 

Where did that earthly life begin ? In a poor, 
lowly stable,* in the town of Bethlehem, a child 




AN ORIENTAL OARAVANSERA. 

* Generally thought to have been a building termed, in the 
East, a caravansera, erected for the accommodation of travel- 
ers, there being at that time and among that people no public 
inns, as we have. Some of these caravanseras had in the 
center small apartments with raised floors. The cattle of 
the travelers stood usually behind the cells ; the flooring of 



Introduction. 17 



Sing, O heavens ; and be joyful, earth. 



lay in a manger. The scanty bed of straw, and 
the poor wrappings around Him, were more 
honored than any kingly cradle with curtains of 
lace and pillows of down. When the fair world 
was created in all its fresh beauty of sunlight 
and of sparkling blossom, and two pure, immor- 
tal human beings were placed therein, "the 
morning stars sang together," and above the 
high arches of heaven "all the Sons of God 
shouted for joy." But at this more wonderful 
birth, when He who shared the everlasting 
throne of the Father put on the robe of infant 
flesh, heaven itself came down to earth ; glory 
shone around, while " a multitude of the heaven- 
ly host" sang together over the grassy plains of 
Bethlehem. 

which, projecting beyond the cells proper, made a resting- 
place for their corn bags, where they were fed. This is what 
is here termed " a manger," and here, probably, Mary had 
made her couch. Some authors of great celebrity, however, 
are of opinion that Mary was at this time in a grotto or cave. 
This was an early tradition in the Church. Though the 
word *' stable " is often used to describe the place of our 
Lord's birth, it is not so used in the scriptural narrative. 



i8 



From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Glory to God in the highest I 



WHO HEARD THE MUSIC? 

Out in the open fields of Bethlehem, under the 
starlit sky, shepherds were watching their flocks, 
when, suddenly, a bright light shone upon them, 
and an angel appeared, telling them he brought 




*' tidings of great joy." It was news of a glo- 
rious gift to the world; "of a Saviour, which 
is Christ the Lord ; " and they were informed 
they should find him in ''Bethlehem, lying in a 



Introduction, 19 



God reveals himself to humble faith. 



manger." Thus came the glorious announce- 
ment ; and while the unbelieving may scoff 
that it was revealed to humble shepherds, the 
soul which faith makes broad enough to take 
in the unity of all revelation, and see all inspired 
lines gather like a halo of glory around the Re- 
deemer, can recall the picture of the dead shep- 
herd, Abel — earliest type of the coming, dying 
Saviour ; the shepherd days of Jacob, Moses, 
David — and seeing the wondrous fitness of 
the tidings given the pastoral night-watchers, 
would fain join in songs of praise with the 
heavenly chorus. 

^A;'HY WAS THE BABE IN A MANGER? 

The mother, Mary, was poor ; so was Joseph, 
her husband. All people had been ordered by 
the Roman emperor to go to the town where 
they belonged to be enrolled, that they might 
pay tribute. There was a great crowd in Beth- 
lehem, where Joseph's family belonged, and in 
consequence '' there was no room for them in 
the inn." 



20 



From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



If any man . . . open the door, I will come in. 



There are many hearts like that inn — crowded 
with busy thoughts, plans, desires, all for self ; 
no room for memories and hopes to cluster close 
around Him who was once the Babe of Beth- 
lehem. 




FIELDS NEAR BKTBLEHBM. 



The Child jFesus. '21 

The Star of Jacob — the Scepter of Israel. 

CHAPTER I. 

THE CHILD JESUS. - 

There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall 
rise out of Israel. — Num. xxiv, 17. 

I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright 
and morning star. — Rev. xxii, 16. 

'nr^HE humble shepherds who heard the 
^ heavenly music were not the only ones 
that were interested in the birth of Jesus. 

In far-off countries in those days there were 
scholarly men who studied old writings on skins 
— solemn-looking, ancient parchment rolls — 
men skilled in astronomy, philosophy, astrology, 
and every known science, who gave counsel to 
kings, and no great question could be ansv/ered 
without their assistance. They pretended to 
understand signs and wonders, and to interpret 
dreams. 

Do you remember the great king who was 
once so furious because none of his wise men 
could tell the dream he had foro-otten 1 



22 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Gentiles shall come to thy light. 

But now the wise men themselves came to 
ask an important question. They had learned, 
probably from the Scriptures, that there was to 
come one who would be the King of the Jews, 
according to prophecy. In the far East they 
had seen a new star in the sky, and they were 
sure it was a token of the birth of tlie expected 
Prince, who, it was believed, would bring earth- 
ly blessings to all people. It is thought there 
were but three of these wise men, and as they 
were men of rank, perhaps, it was with a retinue 
of servants they entered into the city of Jeru- 
salem, inquiring as they came : "Where is he 
that is born King of the Jews ? '' 

The busy people did not know how to answer ; 
perhaps they looked into the eager eyes and at 
the long, white beards of the travelers, coming- 
in their dusty sandals and their flowing robes, 
as though they would say, '' Why do you ask ? " 

The reply was ready : '* For we have seen 
his star in the East, and are come to wor- 
ship him." * 

* See Frontispiece. 



The Child yestis, 23 

The priests' lips should keep knowledge. 

The news of their coming reached the palace, 
where the wicked king, Herod, lived. He was 
greatly troubled, lest he should lose his throne ; 
so were the princes who waited on him and 
lived in his smile, because his gold paid the price 
of their obeying his wicked orders. So Herod 
sent for the chief priests and scribes, probably 
the Sanhedrin, and ordered them to tell him 
where Christ should be born ; for he knew they 
had read all which the prophets had written. 
Just as the angels told the shepherds came the 
answer: "In Bethlehem of Judea." Then the 
unhappy king sent secretly for the wise men, 
and asked when they first saw the star ; for, 
perhaps, they had been for months on their 
journey, and he wanted to know exactly the 
age of the child. 

Then he sent them to Bethlehem. " Go," he 
said, "and search diligently for the young Child ; 
and when ye have found him, bring me word 
again, that I may come and worship him also." 
They started again — and how they rejoiced when 
they saw that the same " star, which they saw 



24 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

King's shall minister unto thee. 

in the East, went before them, till it came and 
stood over where the young Child was." 

By this time mother and Child had left the 
stable and the manger— for, " when they were 
come into the house^ they saw the young Child 
with Mary his mother." It was the custom in 
coming into the presence of a king to prostrate 
one's self, and frequently to present some offer- 
ing. So the wise men fell down and worshiped 
this holy infant, and then, opening their treas- 
ures, gave him gold, and sweet smelling and 
precious spices. These were rich and costly 
gifts — offerings — because they believed he was 
a king who should rule the earth. How much 
more homage should we give him now that we 
know that the child Jesus was also the King 
of heaven, who will reign with love and blessing 
in every heart which will give to him its love 
and service ? 

The wise men were sages, and yet more igno- 
rant than a Christian child. They did not know 
that they were fulfilling a prophecy uttered 
seven hundred years before, when an inspired 



The Child ycsus. 25 

Angels . . . fhinistered unto Him. 

one, who loved to sing of the coming glory of 
the I.ord, wrote : " They shall bring gold and 
incense ; and they shall show forth the praises 
of the Lord." 

The same good Father in heaven who sent 
his only Son to sleep in the manger, who sent 
the angels to sing to the shepherds, who held 
the star in his hand and guided the wise men, 
sent angels to them as they slept, and warned 
them not to return to Herod. They had found 
the one they sought, had offered their gifts and 
their worship ; so they again put on their pil- 
grim robes and their sandals, and went into 
their own country by another way. 



26 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Man proposes ; God disposes. 



CHAPTER II. 

THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear 
him, and delivereth them. — PsA. xxx, 7. 

O OON after the wise men had departed God 
^^ sent, by night, an angel to Joseph with a 
special message. The message must be quickly 
obeyed, even before the morning. 

He who knows the purposes of every heart 
knew what King Herod intended to do, not- 
withstanding he had said to the wise men, in 
respect to the young Child, " That I may come 
and worship him also.'' Hence the message 
by the angel to Joseph, ^^ Arise, and take the 
young Child and his mother, and flee into 
Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee 
word : for Herod will seek the young Child to 
destroy him." 

Quickly and silently, with little preparation, 
the parents started on their long journey, foi 



The Flight into Egypt. 27 

Eachel weeping for her children. 

it was probably more than one hundred miles 
from Bethlehem to Egypt. No doubt the gifts 
of the wise men enabled the parents — who had 
little gold before — to purchase what was need- 
ful for their journey ; an instance, perchance, of 
His providential care. 

We know not exactly how they went ; per- 
haps, as was the custom of the country, Mary, 
with the child before her, rode upon an ass, 
while Joseph walked behind or beside it. But 
we are certain that, while each day the happy 
mother rejoiced in the safety of her child, either 
on the way or resting in Egypt, in the little 
houses and the narrow streets of Bethlehem 
there were sounds of weeping and bitter cries 
of sorrow. 

The angry king, when he found the wise men 
had disappointed him, became more furious than 
ever, and also more determined than before to 
kill the Child he sought. So to make sure of His 
destruction, Herod sent soldiers to every house 
in Bethlehem, and to all the homes in the bor- 
ders of the town, and ordered them to kill every 



28 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

No hope in his death. 

child they could find under two years old. No 
tears, no piteous pleading, could save them from 
his cruel wrath. What cared he, a wicked old 
man who had sinned for well-nigh seventy years, 
who had murdered his wife and two of his own 
sons, what cared he for mothers' tears, or the 
suffering of little children ? 

He was then a dreadful sufferer himself, hav- 
ing a fearful and loathsome disease of which 
he soon after died. Only five days before his 
death he ordered the execution of his eldest 
son. Such was the man from whose anger God 
saved the child Jesus. 

Herod had rebuilt the temple for the worship 
of God, spent much money on it, and restored 
much of its old splendor and beauty ; but when 
the Lord of the temple came, in the person of a 
little Child, he sought to take his life. He was 
hated of the people for his cruelty ; but with 
mocking pomp, while there was neither love 
nor grief at his death, five hundred slaves car- 
ried the spices to be used at his funeral. 

In the far-off land of Egypt, where the Jews 



The Flight into Egypt, 31 

Out of Egypt have I called my Son. 

were once slaves, the Child Jesus dwelt in 
safety ; there beneath the palm-trees the little 
feet learned to walk about, and the lips to speak 
the sweet prattle of childhood. 

Again the angel of the Lord came to Joseph 
— again he said, " Arise, and take the young 
Child and his mother." This time it was to go 
into the land of Israel : '' for they are dead which 
sought the young Child's life." Ever ready to 
obey, Joseph returned with them ; yet he feared 
lest Herod's son might be as cruel as his father ; 
but God directed him to go and live in a city 
called Nazareth. There Joseph had lived be- 
fore, and probably his friends and relations 
lived there. In Nazareth he had worked at his 
trade as a carpenter, and after his journeying 
he again lived in his old home, and engaged in 
his daily work as before. 



32 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

The fairest among ten thousand. 



CHAPTER III. 

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. 

And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my 
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. — Mark i, ii. 

TT T'E know little of the early life of Jesus ; 
^ ^ only a few touches of the inspired pens 
which wrote of his childhood, but each touch is 
a wonderful picture. " The child grew " — Day 
by day, year by year, the fair face grew more 
thoughtful, the clear eyes had a deeper light, 
the rounded limbs became larger and stronger, 
the willing hands wrought industriously and 
helpfully, and the body went on in its growth 
toward a perfectness such as no human form 
ever before or since has reached, for it was the 
perfection of life and beauty. 

"Strong in spirit" — Brave, fearless of wrong 
or evil, strong in the right and the true. 

" Filled with wisdom " — None of the doubts 
we have as to what is right or best, no half- 



The Baptism of Jesus, 33 

I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 

hearted judgments, no mistakes ; unerring wis- 
dom, and that not the wise learning of earth's 
scholars, but heavenly wisdom : the grace, the 
loving favor, the tender, watchful care of God, 
his heavenly Father, ever rested upon him. 

One picture is given us of his boyhood. He 
was twelve years old, and went with his parents 
to the great feast in Jerusalem, one of a large 
company who traveled the seventy miles south 
from Nazareth to Jerusalem. He kept the 
feast with them, seeing the great temple, and 
enjoying the sacred festival as no other child 
could do. 

The days of the feast were over, the great 
company were returning, when, at the close of 
the first day's journey, they stopped to pitch 
their tents for the night ; then the parents dis- 
covered that Jesus was not in all the company. 
Grieving, wondering, that their angel-watched 
child was lost, vainly searching all the way, 
they went back mile after mile until they again 
came in sight of the shining domes of the great 
city — this time with heavy hearts, and weary. 



34 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

All that heard him were astonished at his understanding. 

They re-entered the city, and on the third 
day they found Him in the court of the great 
temple, sitting with the wise doctors and law- 
yers, listening to their learned talk and asking 
them questions. 

" Filled with wisdom " — He knew what to re- 
ply to Mary's sorrowful questioning, and went 
cheerfully back to the humble home with his 
parents. 

"Subject unto them" — An obedient, loving 
son, whose sayings his mother sacredly '' kept 
in her heart." Thirty years he spent with that 
mother- — years of contemplation, watching and 
working in the privacy of home : no haste to 
enter public life, no restive restraint at home 
government ; all those years went by unsung 
and unknown beyond the hunible family circle. 
Doubtless in after times, when words of wisdom 
fell from his Hps in beautiful precepts and pict- 
ures in parable, the image of the quiet mother 
rose before his mind, as photographed on his 
human heart were the scenes of mother-life and 
mother-work : sweeping the house, mixing the 




,1 E 






r.^^^- 'j^yfr/f^j! 



The Baptism of yestcs. 37 

Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. 

leaven, mending worn garments — those hum- 
ble, honest pictures, the tapestry of many boy- 
ish memories ; and has not his very mention 
of it sanctified the homely plain work of daily 
service ? 

The Jewish priests entered upon their con- 
secrated w^ork at thirty years of age. When 
Jesus was at that age he went to the river 
Jordan, where his cousin, John the Baptist, was 
preaching and baptizing, to be himself baptized. 
John was at first unwilling, for he felt himself 
unworthy to baptize one who had come to be 
the Saviour of the world ; but Jesus showed him 
that it was wisest and best — Jesus needed not 
to repent, for he had never sinned ; he did not 
need the emblem of cleansing, for he was ever 
pure — that he, as the great Exemplar, wished 
to do that which was needful for all others to 
do, and that this was a fitting way and time to 
enter upon his public work, so, in the water of 
the Jordan, John baptized him. It was the same 
river, near whose banks Lot chose for his home 
— '' the well-watered plain f through which the 



38 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. 

children of Israel walked on dry ground by a 
miracle ; v/here Elijah and Elisha went over 
just before Elijah went up to heaven in a fiery 
chariot ; and where the great captain sent by 
the little maid was cleansed from his leprosy. 

Just as Jesus was baptized, while he was 
praying, the heavens opened above him, and, 
descending in the form of a dove, the Holy 
Spirit rested upon him. The dove has always 
been an emblem of gentleness and purity ; in- 
nocent, meek, and peaceful, it was a fitting pict- 
ure of the gentle influence of the Holy Spirit, 
and the pure and loving Saviour. A voice came 
also from the opened heavens, saying, " This is 
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 

Surely, the watching people could not doubt 
that this was the Son of God, Jesus the Christ, 
well pleasing to his Father in heaven. What 
are the words spoken in every faith when one 
is baptized ? " In the name of the Father, and 
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 

Let the words recall this scene : the listening 
crowd on the river-bank ; the preacher who cried 



The Baptism of yesus, 39 

Here the whole Deity is 8ho\vii. 

" Repent ye " to the multitudes who came to 
hear him ; the sinless Jesus — the light from 
heaven resting on him ; the dove above him ; 
the voice of love and praise speaking from 
heaven. Such a group was never on earth be- 
fore — the ''Three in One:" the Father who 
sent, the Son who came, the Spirit, whom Jesus 
has promised, " shall teach you all things, and 
bring all things to your remembrance." 

In the light of those opened heavens the an- 
gels, who sang at his birth, must have watched 
the holy baptism, and hushed their songs of 
triumph while the Father said, in hearing of the 
thrilled hearts of heaven and earth, "This is my 
beloved Son." 



40 From Bethlehem to Calvarv. 



Alone with God. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE TEMPTATION — POWER OVER SATAN. 

In all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. — 
Heb. iv, 15. 

"XT O great mission has ever been effected 
■^ ^ without careful, toilsome preparation ; 
usually in solitude, when the soul may be deep 
in contemplation and grow strong in purpose 
and in power. Forty years in the plains of 
Midian, oft in starlit nights alone with his flock 
and his thoughts, Moses prepared for his years 
of leadership ; forty days and nights on Mount 
Sinai he was alone with God. EUjah, alone 
on the stony hills of Gilead, and by the lonely 
brook, was prepared for the triumphant scene 
on Mount Carmel; then, in the strength of mir- f | 
aculously-given food, he went to Mount Horeb. I 
So Jesus, after thirty years of retirement, spent 
forty days and nights in the wilderness, sus- 
tained, as Moses and Elijah had been, by the 



The Temptation — Power Over Satan. 41 

Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. 

power of an ever-watching, ever-present God. 
Those were desolate days and nights when 
Jesus was in the desert, alone, except the com- 
panionship of the " wild beasts," which came 
about him from their hiding-places in the rocks ; 
but God watched over him there. 

Long before this time a good man, cast into 
a den of wild beasts, said, *' My God hath sent 
his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths." 
But there is one who yet goes about '* as a roar- 
ing lion, seeking whom he may devour," that 
went to Jesus in the lonely desert to tempt him. 

Were you ever tempted, tried ? That same 
evil one who went to the desert first began his 
work as a "tempter in a lovely garden, amid 
shadowing foliage, fragrant odors from thorn- 
less roses, sweet songs of birds, and innocent 
gambols of harmless animals, caressed by hands 
unstained with evil deeds. He remembered 
how he conquered then ; aye, and he well re- 
membered his own punishment. Now he came 
to tempt the sinless One. 

He conquered once in a place of beauty, of 



42 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

In all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

happiness, where every want was supplied : he 
now came to Jesus in a time of loneliness, of 
danger, of hunger, of weariness. Satan tried 
three times to tempt Jesus to sin. First, he 
said, " If thou be the Son of God, command 
that these stones be made bread," as if he ^ 
would either doubt that Jesus was the Son of 
God, or imply that, if so, he could change the 
stones lying about into food. But Jesus had 
an answer in the words of Scripture. He re- 
minded him that God could preserve life by his 
own power if he chose, even without the usual 
daily bread. Thus he had fed the wanderers in 
the wilderness for forty years. 

Then Satan took him to so high a point on the 
temple wall that a mere man might have fallen 
from the dizzy height to the deep valley below 
— for the temple was built on Mount Moriah, 
where, long before, Abraham took his only son 
to offer as a sacrifice. Satan wished Jesus to 
cast himself down, in order to test, before the 
eyes of the people of the city, whether God 
would save his only Son from danger, and keep 



The Temptation — Power Over Satan. 43 

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

his own promise : '* He shall give his angels 
charge concerning thee." But Jesus silenced 
him with a plain command : '' Thou shalt not 
tempt the Lord ihy God." 

The third time Satan took him to a high 
mountain, from which they could see many 
countries — ^just as Moses went up on Mount 
Nebo, and God showed him all the promised 
land spread out like a picture before him. Per- 
haps it was the same mountain where God had 
been with Moses that Satan was with the Son 
of God. Bold in his last trial, he said: "All 
these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall 
down and worship me." 

Jesus ordered him from his presence, silenc- 
ing him as he did so with the command : 
" Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and 
him only shalt thou serve." 

The conqueror in the garden was conquered 
in the desert. If we meet temptation, as Jesus 
did, with " the sword of the Spirit, which is the 
word of God," we shall always conquer. 

Then angels " came and ministered unto 



44 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Thou slialt guide me with thy counsel. 

him/' The whole incident furnishes a precious 
testimony that our Saviour was tempted as we 
are, yet without sin. We may be comforted by 
the hope that those who will study and believe 
the word of God shall be guided, as was He, by 
the Spirit, even though not waited on by angels. 



Following the Lamb. 45 

Is not this the Christ ? 

CHAPTER V. 

FOLLOWING THE LAMB. 

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take 
up his cross, and follow me. — Matt, xvi, 24. 

A FTER the days in the wilderness Jesus 
'^■^ left Nazareth, so long his home, and dwelt 
in Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Gal- 
ilee, a beautiful inland sea or lake, through which 
the Jordan flowed. 

One day, as he walked on the shore of the 
lake, he saw two young men who had been fol- 
lowers of John the Baptist. When John saw 
him he said, " Behold the Lamb of God," and 
they at once believed that he was the Christ. 
One of them named Andrew went to his brother 
Peter, and said joyfully, " We have found the 
Christ." 

Welcomed by his gracious words, they went 
with Jesus and spent the rest of the day with 
him, the first of many hours when they listened 
to his teaching. 



46 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

And he brought him to Jesus. 

The next day Jesus wished to go back into 
Galilee, and saw Philip, who belonged in the 
same town with Andrew and Peter. He had 
the honor of being the first disciple called, for 
to him Jesus said, as he afterward did to others, 
" Follow me " — the first to whom a direct call 
and command were given. 

Philip at once went to his friend Nathanael, 
who at that hour Philip knew was engaged in 
devotion in his favorite place of retirement, and 
told him the same glad news, " We have found 
the Christ," and bade him " Come and see." 
Peter, and Andrew, and perhaps John, seem 
not yet to have entirely left their employment 
as fishermen to be with the new Master ; but 
Philip and Nathanael) and perhaps others, went 
with Jesus to Cana of Galilee, where his mother, 
with a large company, witnessed " the beginning 
of miracles." 

Jesus loves to bless our joys as well as our 
sorrows, for to gladden the hour at a wedding 
feast he first used his power to work miracles. 

Then he went to Capernaum, but stayed only 



Following the Lamb. 47 

The common pe^^ple heard him gladly. 

a few days before he went to keep his first pass- 
over, as it was time for the great feast at Jeru- 
salem. There in the temple courts he found 
men buying, selling, and changing money, in all 
the din and tumult of a market-place ; he drove 
them out with a scourge or whip made of small 
cords, poured out the money, and threw over 
the tables. This, of course, excited the anger 
of the priests ; but when the people saw his 
miracles many believed in him. After several 
months spent in the country of Judea Jesus set 
out to return to Galilee ; as he journeyed he 
passed through the country called Samaria, 
near to the place where Joseph was buried in 
the lot of ground which Jacob bought for "a 
hundred pieces of money." There, by the side 
of Jacob's well, tired, hungry, thirsty, the Sav- 
iour rested while he talked with the woman of 
Samaria, and she, believing on him, brought 
others to listen, and became herself the first 
female missionary of Christ. 

After that Jesus went to his old home, Naza- 
reth, whither the fame of his miracles had pre- 



48 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

He opened his mouth, and taught. 

ceded him, and doubtless the people expected 
to see some wondrous works. On the Sabbath 
he went into the synagogue, perhaps the same 
where he had often listened and worshiped, and 
there he at this time read and explained the Old 
Testament Scriptures. 

The people listened in astonishment as " the 
carpenter's son" claimed to be the promised One 
come to preach good tidings. As he added warn- 
ing to precept they were angry, and, rushing out 
of the synagogue, with him in the crowd, they 
pressed on to the edge of a precipice, on the 
borders of the town, where they would have 
cast him headlong, but he passed unharmed 
through the midst of all by the exercise of 
Divine power, and went on to Capernaum. 

Thus by his daily works and words — in con- 
versation by the way-side, or at night as he 
taught the timid, inquiring Nicodemus; in the 
synagogues or the temple worship, by deeds of 
mercy and works of wonder— during that first 
year, " Jesus began to preach and to say. Re- 
pent : for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 



Following the Lamb. 49 

■Washing their nets. 

Capernaum was a beautiful town on the bor- 
der of the Sea of Galilee ; reaching out from 
the town were luxuriant fields on the hill sides 
and in the fruitful valleys. This place was called 
'' His own city," for here he spent the greater 
part of his ministry, and here performed many 
miracles. 

It was here that Jesus walked by the sea one 
morning, and the people gathered close about 
him " to hear the word of God." On the beach 
he saw two boats drawn up, the fishermen sit- 
ting close by, washing their nets. His mind and 
eye took in all the scene : the hearts of the anx- 
ious people ; the tired fishermen, who, having 
toiled all night, weary and disappointed, were 
washing their nets before going home to rest. 
He stepped into one of the boats and asked the 
owner to push ofi' a little from the land. There 
he sat and taught, while the people on the shore 
listened. When he was done speaking he bade 
Peter drop the net into the sea. Obeying, the 
net was so filled with fish that it was breaking, 
and he called to the partners in the other boat 



50 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

And they arose and followed Ilim. 

to assist, for the boat was sinking with the 
weight of the gathered fish. These four fisher- 
men were Simon Peter, and Andrew, who had 
before been with Jesus, and James and John, 
sons of Zebedee. Jesus said first to those in 
the boat with him, " Follow me, I will make 
you fishers of men." 

They left their nets and went with him. A 
little farther on were the other brothers, whom 
he also called. So they, too, gave up all — the 
boats, the nets, their business — to follow the 
Christ, to share his work, to hear his words, 
and, by preaching his Gospel, to gather the souls 
of men to the kingdom, even as the fish were 
gathered in the nets. The words did not die 
away in the morning air of Galilee : they are still 
sounding to all who will listen to the blessed 
Master, as he ever says, — 

"Follow Me." 



Powei' Over Disease. 51 

The Lord . . . who healeth all thy diseases. 

CHAPTER VI. 

POWER OVER DISEASE. 

And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or 
country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him 
th:it they might touch if it were but the border of his garment : 
and as many as touched him were made whole. — Mark vi, 56. 

T TERY soon after entering upon his public 
^ ministry, Jesus became known as the 
Great Physician. We have abundant testimony 
that his miracles of healing were very numer- 
ous, and the great mass of them, it may be, are 
unrecorded. We know that his all-seeing and 
sympathetic eye never overlooked a case of 
suffering or want, and his tender heart and 
mighty hand never left unrelieved and un- 
blessed any suppliant. 

At his first passover, after the commencement 
of his ministry, John tells us many believed 
when they saw the miracles which Jesus did. 
Nicodemus, the timid ruler, was convi7iced by 
his miracles that God was with him, and, in the 



52 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Believe Me for the very works^ sake. 

secrecy of night and amid the darkness of his 
own doubts and fears, came to him, to receive in 
his own shadowed soul " the light " which had 
**come into the world." The same "beloved 
disciple" who records the wonderful conversa- 
tion with Nicodemus, at the close of his Gos- 
pel, in an oriental and significant mode of ex- 
pression, says, that if every one of Jesus' deeds 
had been recorded, '* even the world itself could 
not contain the books that should be written." 

John, more than any other writer of the Gos- 
pels, gives us a deep insight into the spiritual 
meaning of the miracles of healing ; while all 
the evangelists give some graphic pictures of 
the wondrous relief of every phase of human 
suffering. 

Prominent among these is John's account of 
a cure which Jesus did when he returned to Cana 
of Galilee after his first passover at Jerusalem. 
The Galileans had witnessed his miracles there, 
and the story preceded Christ's coming, and had 
reached Capernaum, even to the palace of a no- 
bleman, whose son was sick. Sadness and still- 



Power Over Disease. 53 

Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst. 

ness had settled down upon that palace, for 
hope had departed from the bedside where the 
son lay nigh to death. Those who have watched 
the blush of burning fever on a loved cheek, 
who have almost breathlessly tried to count the 
leaping pulse of a loved and prostrate hand, 
know the agony of that smitten father, the tear- 
ful silence of the unwearying mother. But the 
news reached the stricken household — Jesus 
the great healer is near, in Cana. Then came 
the resolution, which even quickened into ac- 
tion — " I will go ! " 

How the ruler hastened to Cana, wishing to 
fly over the dozen miles that separated Cana 
from Capernaum, while every moment took him 
farther from the sufferer, whose fever drank his 
life-blood, and might at any moment exhaust 
its fountain ; yet every step brought him nearei 
the One in whose hand seem.ed the fate of the 
dear child. Breathless and anxious he waited 
no introduction, and no ceremony. He be- 
sought him — **Come and heal." 

The Master spoke of believing ; no time for 



54 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Believe that ye receive, and ye shall have. 

argument ; belief was in his pleading eye, in his 
earnest tone — " Come, ere my child die.'' 

How quick the answer : " Go thy way, thy 
son liveth." No prescription to be used, no 
directions to be asked — not even waiting to 
think, the father's heart was poured out in the 
sudden, joyful returning step hastening back to 
the restored life which he knew awaited his re- 
turn. There the happy mother had been start- 
led at the abrupt departure of fever, pain, pros- 
tration, and, overwhelmed with gladness, had 
started the servants to find the father and report 
the wondrous case. The whole house believed — 
father, mother, child, servants — and that palace 
became one of the houses in which was en- 
shrined faith, love, and service for the Master, 
for it is believed that this ruler was Chuza, 
Herod's steward, whose wife, Joanna, with 
others, *' ministered unto him of their sub- 
stance." 

Some have confounded this miracle with 
another at the same place, but which occurred 
aiter Jesus came down after preaching his '' Ser- 



Power Over Disease. 55 

He cast out devils. 

mon on the Mount ; " when he said of the be- 
lieving Roman soldier, " I have not found so great 
faith, no, not in Israel." Both were believing 
suppliants for another : one, a ruler, the other, 
a centurion, or commander of a band of soldiers, 
usually a hundred ; one, a father, the other, a 
master ; the sufferer in one case a beloved son, 
in the other a valued slave ; one, sick of fever, 
the other of palsy. The ruler begged him to 
come; the soldier said, '' Speak the word :" both 
were bidden, '' Go thy way ;" both believed, both 
found that "in the selfsame hour" their prayer 
received a gracious answer. 

Many miracles were performed on the Sab- 
bath, which provoked the anger of the scribes 
and Pharisees, so zealous were they for the letter 
of the Mosaic law, and so reckless of the spirit 
of love and' mercy. The graphic Mark gives us 
a picture of a Sabbath day when Jesus preached 
in a synagogue in Capernaum for the first time, 
when the silent listening of the wondering 
people was startled by the cry of a demoniac 
calling liim '' the holy one of God." Rebuked, 



56 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

I work the works of Him that sent me. 

the evil spirit departed from the man, and the 
people, astonished at his power, went about 
to proclaim his fame. 

The ever-busy, merciful Saviour, the same day, 
in the house of Simon, while Andrew, James, and 
John were with him, cured Simon's mother-in- 
law of fever, and she arose and ministered to his 
hungry and weary body, and to the wants of 
his disciples. Even when the sunshine and the 
Sabbath had passed he ceased not from works 
of blessedness, for as the evening shadows 
gathered, so did a multitude, sick with many 
diseases of mind and body, and he healed all 
their sicknesses and took away all their in- 
firmities. 

So the prophetic vision was ' fulfilled : for on 
^hat calm Sabbath in Capernaum no inhabitant 
needed to say " I am sick," for every one could 
go to the lowly door of Peter's house, where 
stood One who could relieve. 

The next morning, even at the day-dawn, in 
a solitary place in prayer, Simon and others 
found the Master praying, before he started 



Power Over Disease, 57 

He went about doing good. 

upon his first general circuit through the towns 
of GaUlee ; spending, it is generally believed, 
three or four months, going about, preaching, 
teaching, working miracles, always followed by 
multitudes. 



58 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Seeing, they do not see, and hearing they do not hear. 



CHAPTER VII. 

POWER TO FORGIVE SINS. 

Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins 
are covered. — Rom. iv, 7. 

JESUS had by this time cured many sick, 
and worked many miracles : they were all 
types of redemptive power to cure sin, the dis- 
ease of the soul ; but the eyes which saw the 
lame walk, the deaf hear, and the dumb speak 
were themselves too blind and deaf to under- 
stand more than the merciful relief to the suf- 
ferers. One morning in the early spring, for 
it was just before the second passover of our 
Lord's public ministry, Jesus crossed the lake 
of Tiberias and came back to Capernaum, " his 
own city." 

Mark tells us, when it was known that Jesus 
was in the house, so many were gathered to- 
gether there was no room to receive them, even 
about the door. Luke tells us that among the 




Roof of Oriental House. 



Power to Forgive Sins. 6 1 

All the city was gathered together. 

crowd were " Pharisees and doctors of the law 
sitting by, which were come out of every town 
of GaUlee, and Judea, and Jerusalem." Jesus 
probably sat in the inner and lower gallery 
built around the square court yard within the 
house, for to this day in eastern countries the 
houses are built in a sort of hollow square, and 
an inclosed yard within ; the houses having 
porches or galleries around this yard, and above 
a flat roof, with an outer stair-way leading to it. 
Possibly, this was Peter s house — we know he 
had a house in Capernaum, for there Jesus had 
cured " Peter's wife's mother, who had been 
sick of a fever ;" and the same evening so many 
sick were brought for him to heal, that Mark 
says, " all the city was gathered together at the 
door." 

It was in a house Jesus preached while the 
crowd listened. Suddenly there was a strange 
interruption while he spoke — a commotion 
above the crowd ; something was removed over- 
head, either an awning taken away from the roof, 
or some of the tiles which projected over the 



62 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Thy sins be forgiven tliee. 

gallery. Then was seen coming slowly down a 
bed, suspended by ropes or strong cords. Down 
it came into the very midst of the crowd, right 
before Jesus. On it was a man lying, helpless, 
trembling, sick with palsy. Four friends had 
brought him to be cured ; when they found the 
crowd, and it seemed in vain to attempt to 
bring him in, they would not be discouraged or 
turned away ; they were resolved to gain access 
to the Saviour. 

Going up some stair-way to the roof of that 
or of some adjoining building, they walked on 
with their burden until they reached the de- 
sired spot, and then lowered their friend, on his 
couch, right before Jesus. 

He " seeing their faith " — one glance, and he 
read it all ; no questioning as to the disease, the 
symptoms, no weary work to be done, no direc- 
tions to be obeyed — spoke only the loving, ten- 
der word, " Son, be of good cheer ; thy sins be 
forgiven thee." 

" Son " — what fatherly pity, what knowledge 
of his sadness, weakness, sorrow for him, all his 



Pozver to Forgive Sins, 63 

Who can forgive sins but God ? 

past history as plain to the Master's eye as his 
present need. 

What joy to the poor man ! He could not Hft 
his head or hand, and just so helpless was his 
soul to be rid of the sin that rendered him 
powerless to live aright. What life in the 
words, '' Son," " Forgiven.'' 

What joy to the four friends ! — an instanta- 
neous answer, even before they asked in words ; 
they only appeared before him, and more than 
they hoped for was granted, even the accept- 
ance and forgiveness of the passive sufferer 
they brought. 

But another group sat around — the scribes, 
who seemingly thought, " Why doth this man 
thus speak blasphemies } who can forgive sins 
but God only ? " 

The same power which knew the heart of 
the poor paralytic, and the desires of his friends, 
knew their thoughts. How quickly He revealed 
his omniscience, as he asked, " Wherefore think 
ye evil in your hearts t " Yet Jesus' arguments 
were not by words only, but deeds. He gave 



64 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

A miracle thrice blessed. 

proof of omnipotence not alone by claiming it, 
but while in his humility he called himself the 
** Son of man," as he did more than sixty times, 
he commanded the palsied man, *' Arise, take 
up thy bed, and go unto thine house." 

The astonished people made way for the 
cured man to carry his bed, in glowing health 
and strength to go and gladden his home. As 
he went he gave thanks to God ; and others, 
convinced of Jesus' divine power by the mira- 
cle, joined in praise and glory to God. 

This was a threefold miracle — threefold in 
its results. As Jesys was on earth the repre- 
sentation of the Holy Trinity, he showed in the 
miracle the power of the Father, the love of 
the Son, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. His 
divine power was shown in rebuking disease, 
in forgiving sin, and in reading all hearts. 

The effects were threefold : a reward to the 
faith of those who brought him, the man re- 
ceived forgiveness and power to obey, and was 
made an example to lead others to trust and 
glorify God, 



Power to Forgive Sins. 65 

Call of Matthew. 

The scribes were silenced for the time, but 
not convinced of sin, for they continued in 
secret to nourish their hatred and scorn. 

The same day Jesus passed the booth where, 
by the side of the lake, Matthew, or Levi the 
publican, sat to receive the payment of toll or 
tax from travelers. The words were quickly 
spoken, " Follow me " — quickly obeyed, for he 
left all and hastened to honor his new Master 
by a feast at his house, as we are told by Mark 
and Luke, while the modest but exact Matthew 
speaks of the feast, but not of himself as host. 



66 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Appointment of the Apostles. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE TWELVE CALLED. 

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these ; The first, 
Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother ; James 
the son of Zebedee, and John his brother ; Philip, and Bar- 
tholomew ; Thomas, and Matthew the publican ; James the 
son of Alpheus, and Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus ; 
Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot. — Matt, x, 2-4. 

'^ I ^HE time now seemed ripe for Jesus to 
-^ arrange for the continuance of the gospel 
ministry when he himself should have suffered 
and died, for already the hatred of scribes and 
Pharisees had been openly expressed, and with- 
in a few days the Herodians, " filled with mad- 
ness," had commenced their plans for his de- 
struction. 

In the spring of the year, soon after the 
second passover during his ministry, he was 
about to select a company of men whose work 
and influence should remain after all the thrones 
and kings of earth should crumble to dust. He 



Tlie Twelve Called. 67 

The twelve Jews sent forth. 

did not enter upon it thoughtlessly or hur- 
riedly. Luke tells us, " He went out into a 
mountain to pray, and continued all night in 
prayer to God. And when it was day, he called 
unto him his disciples ; and of them he chose 
twelve, whom he also named apostles.'' The 
word means "one sent," a messenger. The 
number, doubtless, has reference to the twelve 
tribes of Israel ; a number not too small to per- 
form the desired work, nor too large to be easily 
summoned and kept together. 

He who could search the heart and see the 
future, in unerring wisdomx selected them ; and 
he who was himself called the apostle of God, 
put upon these plain, unpretending men the 
honor of being known forever as the apostles of 
Christ. They were to be constantly with him, 
to witness his miracles, to obey his instruc- 
tions, to preach his word, to witness his death, 
and to bear testimony to his resurrection. 

Some of them had before been called to fol- 
low him, and he had promised to make them 
"fishers of men ; " others we now hear of for the 



68 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Fishers of men. 

first time. Of some of these disciples we know 
but little, except their names, and even mystery 
seems to enshroud the names of a few. They 
are mentioned in different order by the differ- 
ent evangelists. 

" Now the names of the twelve apostles are 
these " — all significant : — 

SimoHy who is called Peter, and Cephas. 
Simon means " hearer ; " Peter, in Greek, or 
Cephas, in Syriac, means *' stone," " rock." It 
is believed that Peter suffered martyrdom at 
Rome, being crucified with his head downward, 
as he esteemed himself unworthy of the honor 
of dying in the same way as his Lord, whom 
he had denied. 

Andrew y meaning " a strong man," was a fish- 
erman of Bethsaida, brother of Peter. Tradition 
says, that after he had traveled and preached 
for many years in many countries he was im- 
prisoned, scourged, and then crucified upon a 
cross of this shape, Xj ever after called Saint 
Andrew's cross. 

yames and yohn, sons of Zebedee ; called 



The Twelve Called, 69 

Sons of thunder. 

by Jesus Boanerges — ''sons of thunder" — from 
their earnest zeal in his cause. 

y^ameSy the first martyr among the disciples, 
was slain by the sword of Herod. 

yohn lived to extreme old age, and perhaps 
was the only one of the twelve who died a nat- 
ural death. 

Philip, honored as having been the first to 
whom Jesus said, "Follow. me." It is believed 
that he preached in India and Armenia, and 
that he was there first tortured, and then cruci- 
fied with his head downward. 

Bartholomew is usually mentioned in con- 
nection with Philip. John never ranks Bar- 
tholomew as among the apostles, but where the 
other gospel historians speak of Bartholomew, 
he writes Nathanael, while they never mention 
the latter by that name ; hence the Nathanael 
of John is supposed to be the Bartholomew of 
Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 

Matthew, called also Lezn, was a publican or 
tax-gatherer. He is thought to have suffered 
martyrdom in Ethiopia. 



70 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

The Lord's brethren. 

Thomas^ called also Didymus — slow to be- 
lieve but faithful in work — preached in Syria, 
and it is said in India, where he is supposed to 
have died pierced with a lance. 

Simon Zelotes was, probably, before he became 
a disciple, a Pharisee of the sect called Zealots. 
He is rumored to have traveled and preached 
even as far as Britain, where it is said he suf- 
fered martyrdom. 

James the Less was sometimes termed the 
Lord's brother. Much controversy has arisen 
whether, if he were a relative, he was brother or 
cousin of Jesus. He was called the Just be- 
cause of his blameless life. He is thought to 
have lived to be ninety-six years old, and was 
stoned to death. 

Of Thaddeus — meaning "praise" — also called 
LebbeuSy (the " heart,") and Judey little is known, 
except that he was brother of James. He is 
thought to have labored many years, and to 
have suffered a cruel death in Persia. 

Judas Iscariot, the traitor, always completes 
the lists of the chosen twelve. 



The Twelve Called. 71 

I have . . . ordained you. 

Many believe the Sermon on the Mount to 
have been the ordination sermon to his band. 
Jesus directed them how to live and labor, to 
work miracles in his name, and to pronounce 
blessings on those who should be worthy of the 
peace of God ; and uttered warnings against 
those who should neither hear nor receive the 
blessed message of the Gospel. 



72 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Words of blessing. 



CHAPTER IX. 

THE BEATITUDES. 

Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of 
heaven. — Matt, v, 3. 

'' I ^HESE words of blessing are from the 
-*- opening of the only entire sermon of Jesus 
which is left on record. For it we are indebted 
to Matthew, he whose pen was accustomed to 
keep exact lists of names and figures in his 
office as tax gatherer when he sat at the receipt 
of custom. 

Scholars have studied and written much as 
to the exact time when, and place where, this 
sermon was delivered. Luke has also given 
many verses closely corresponding to those of 
this sermon on the mount, and students have 
labored to determine whether it was one and 
the same discourse, or parts of two which were 
so similar in their language and teaching. Leav- 



The Beatittides, 73 



He opened his mouth. 



ing all discussion to learned writers as to wheth- 
er it was delivered to a listening multitude, or 
whether, seeing the multitudes who frequented 
his preaching, Jesus went up from them and 
then '^ called unto him whom he would," as 
Mark says, we rejoice that the beatific words 
are preserved for us, and that upon some sacred 
mountain " he opened his mouth." The world 
had been taught by law and prophets, by visi- 
ble signsof majesty and power — cloud, thunder, 
lightning ; by terrific warnings and fearful judg- 
ments ; but in thai calm hour from his mild, 
loving lips came words of blessing. 

Earth never had such a pulpit as the grassy 
slope of that mountain ; never man spake as 
this man, while the disciples whom he had 
chosen clustered about him. Not for them 
alone were the blessed words given. They have 
cheered and comforted thousands and tens of 
thousands upon earth, and now that the mount- 
ain pulpit has been changed for the throne, 
as they are remembered among the disciples 
above, whom no man can number, they take up 



74 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Joy for the sorrowful. 

the song they began to learn here, and sing, 
" Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be 
unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and 
unto the Lamb for ever and ever." 

Let us learn and understand the precious 
words. " Blessed " — happy, favored — to be 
blessed of God is to dwell in his love, to be 
filled with his peace, to live in his smile. Can 
this be while on earth ? Thank him, that he 
sent his own Son to show us how to live and 
to love, that through that Son we might win 
his favor ; that Jesus's life and words show us 
the way. 

The opening verses of this sermon are a per- 
fect picture of the blessednesj of that life and 
soul which is full of Christ. 

" Blessed are the poor in spirit :" the lowly, 
the humble, the self-forgetting : like Him who 
was meek and lowly in heart : " for theirs is the 
kingdom of heaven." 

" Blessed are they that mourn : for they 
shall be comforted." If when sorrow is sent 
they bow to the will of Him who sends afflic- 



The Beatitudes, 75 



The meek, the merciful, the pure. 



tion, He will send comfort. But more, the 
Saviour preached, "Repent ye" — true repent- 
ance is sorrow for sin, such sorrow he loves to 
turn to joy. 

"Blessed are the meek:" the gentle, the for- 
giving — " shall inherit the earth" — shall enjoy 
more of earth than those of impatient spirit, 
and shall be with Christ, heirs of all things 
eternal. 

" Blessed are they which do hunger and 
thirst after righteousness :" they who long to 
know of Jesus, who desire to know him as a 
worn traveler in a desert land longs for food 
and fresh sparkling water — "they shall be 
filled." 

"Blessed are the merciful," the kind, the 
loving, who feel pity for the wants of others, 
and let each day bear some ministry of deeds 
to shed happiness or comfort on the path of 
others: such "shall obtain mercy" from Him 
who sees whenever a cup of cold water is given 
in his name. 

" Blessed are the pure in heart :" who ch^^*- 



^6 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Peacemakers and persecuted ones. 

ish no evil thought, no impure desire, no wicked 
purpose; whose prayer is, "Create in me a 
clean heart '' — " they shall see God." 

" Blessed are the peacemakers :'* like him 
who is the Prince of Peace, ever whose infant 
slumbers the angels sang, " Peace on earth, 
good-will to men ;" he shall be their *' elder 
brother," "for they shall be called the children 
of God." 

" Blessed are they which are persecuted," 
reviled, falsely accused for the sake of true re- 
ligion. The young men in the fiery furnace 
were cruelly persecuted ; so was Daniel in the 
den of lions ; yet they rejoiced while One like 
the Son of God gave " the kingdom of heaven " 
even in the flame and with the lions. 

Will you be thus blessed "i Then ask daily 
for favor and help from Him who can give all 
the graces of his Spirit, and who will in love 
come and establish his own kingdom within 
your heart. 



Teaching to Pray, 77 



After this manner pray ye. 



CHAPTER X. 

TEACHING TO PRAY. 

Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the 
Father may be glorified in the Son. — John xiv, 13. 

JESUS taught us how to pray. He not only 
left the joyful heaven, where he had always 
dwelt, to come here and labor and suffer, that we 
might have access to the Father, but he showed 
us how we might pray, and then went back to 
the Father, and there, beside him on the throne 
when he hears his children praying here he in- 
tercedes for them. Strange, that we need to be 
taught kow to pray. 

Does a little child need to be taught how to 
run to its mother, and put out its arms and say, 
" I love you ; " or, when in trouble, to rest its 
tired head on her breast sure of rest and com- 
fort ; or to tell its little wants and ask for what 
it needs } 

True prayer and praise are the natural out- 



78 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Enter into thy closet. 

pouring of the heart to the heavenly Father, 
just as the bird on the tree top lifts its head 
and pours out its flood of song ; just as the 
rose breathes out perfume from its depths of 
blossom. Thus it was in that first Paradise^ 
before Adam and Eve hid themselves when 
they heard the voice of the Lord God, walking 
in the garden in the cool of the day. From 
that sad hour came the need of instruction and 
of warning. 

Where should we pray 1 Not, as some did in 
Judea, on the street corners and in the market- 
places, " to be seen of men." Those thus re- 
proved certainly made it convenient, even though 
they well knew the regular hour for devotion, to 
be at that time in some public place, and to make, 
perhaps, such an address to the Lord as the 
Pharisee did when he told some boastful things 
of himself, and was thankful he was not as the 
publican, but did not ask God for a single 
thing. 

" Enter in — shut the door." So the old 
prophet did when he stretched himself over the 



Teaching to Pray. 79 

Use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do. 

dead boy on the bed in the little chamber on 
the wall, and the Father which seeth in secret 
rewarded him as health came back and the 
flowing life-blood went through the boy's veins. 
So secret prayer shall bring back life and joy 
to the heart dead in sin, but made alive in 
Christ. 

How not to pray. They who worshiped Baal 
called on his name from morning until noon. 
The Chinese have prayers written on pieces of 
paper and put in a machine, like a windmill, that 
can be in unceasing motion for days. In one 
of the Japanese islands they have prayers on 
slips of paper which they eat, sometimes swal- 
lov/ing them, sometimes making them into little 
w^ads or balls, which they throw at their idols. 

Are these from the ignorant heathen more 
meaningless than some heartlessly-spoken words 
from lips in Christian lands } 

How to pray. Jesus gave us a model prayer, 
not that we are always to pray in those words, 
and no other. He himself prayed in other lan- 
guage, but this model contains in few words 



8o 



From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Pray to thy Father. 



every feeling which we could want to express 
in prayer. 

Whom to pray to, " Our Father." More than 
fifty times, as is recorded by the evangelists, 
Jesus addressed or spoke of God as his Father. 
In this prayer not only *' My Father," but his 




and ours ; herein is the Fatherhood of God over 
all his children and the brotherhood of Christ. 
This prayer asks for his holy kingdom to come ; 
his will to decide over all, every step, act, 
thought, purpose ; asks for supplies for daily 



Teaching to Pray, 8i 

Let all the people say, Amen. 

wants, forgiveness of sin, charity to others, to 
be kept from temptation and from evil. Could 
we need more than that prayer asks for ? We 
ask acknowledging his boundless love, and his 
ability to grant it all : " For thine is the king- 
dom, and the power, and the glory, forever. 
Amen." 

" Children, what does ' amen ' mean t " asked 
an infant-class teacher one Sunday. 

A little black-eyed girl raised her dimpled 
hand to answer. " I know — it's saying dood- 
bye to Dod." Was that little one very much 
mistaken in thinking so of some who speak the 
word } Are there not some to whom the word 
"amen" is in reality a farewell, dismissing 
every sacred thought or reference to God until 
another stated hour of public service ? 



82 From Bethlehem to Calvary 



After the similitude of a palace. 



CHAPTER XL 

THE TWO FOUNDATIONS. 

Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a 
precious corner-stone, a sure foundation. — ISA. xxviii, i6. 

/^^N the side of a high hill overlooking a 
^^ grand city, stands a royal palace. Within 
it some of the rooms are tapestried with pict- 
ures made and hung by order of a king. As 
you look at them you discover fair forms, life-like 
figures, and wonders of scenery, all seeming to 
be perfect productions from the pencil of genius ; 
yet these wall-hangings are all woven work of 
finest silk, and soft blending colors of wool. 

The tapestries are treasures of art, marvels 
of ingenuity, making us wonder at the mind 
which long ago conceived and the skill which 
perfected them. There is a far different work 
presented to the world by a royal preacher from 
the side of a mountain. Woven through it are 
the most perfect wisdom and glowing love in 



The Two Fotmdattons, 83 

Apples of gold . . . pictures of silver. 

unfading imagery. As we examine, we find it 
begins with blessings, rich promises that reach 
even within the gates of heaven, for those who 
shall see God — like an opening bud that you 
may watch unfold into flower and fruit ; it has 
the breathings of holy desire, formed into prayer, 
whose fervency ripens into daily trust and faith ; 
sweet pictures of charity are revealed, of love 
even to enemies ; it is illumined by the light 
of real Christian life and example, shaded with 
glimpses of earthly parental love, melting into 
lines of a great heavenly Father s watching 
care. Birds of the air and lilies of the field 
appear on its surface ; sparkling in the midst 
gleams the golden rule ; inwrought are views of 
the strait gate, the narrow way, and you may 
gaze on the crowded broad road and its way to 
destruction. 

It reveals prophetic views of the coming day 
when all shall appear to be judged, and some 
shall hear the awful word — Depart. 

Was ever human picture to compare with 
this } Full of instruction, entreaty, it closes 



84 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Never man spake like this Man. 

with earnest warning and two forcible pictures. 
What other preacher ever used such illustra- 
tions as the one who uttered this model sermon ? 
From his matchless mind and soul come no 
lofty flights of what the world calls eloquence ; 
plain, simple allusions to common, unpretend- 
ing things, that can be appreciated by every 
child ; suggested by time and circumstance, the 
vine on the hill-side, the fig-tree in sight, the 
thorn and thistle in the field. 

" Whosoever heareth these sayings," not mere- 
ly the listeners in Judea, but every one who reads 
or hears the teaching of the Master; every 
one he likens to one of these two pictures. In 
which picture will you look for your own like- 
ness 1 

There were two men ; each built a house. 
Perhaps one building was quite as handsome as 
the other ; each, perhaps, in a garden spot, orna- 
mented in the best style ; an inviting home, a 
sweet retreat from busy care and the turmoil of 
business life, shaded from the noontide sun ; 
having porches and roof-tops, with seats for rest 



The Two Fotmdations, 85 

It was founded on a rock. 

in the starlit, rainless season of that land. But 
the time of storms came ; winds raged around 
thedwellings, the mountain streams were swol- 
len, rushing down the valleys like angry rivers ; 
rain pouring in torrents. One house stood firm, 
a safe refuge from the storm ; the other rocked 
in the wind, torrents swept against it — it fell 
— wreck and ruin was the fate of its builder 
and those who dwelt with him. 

Why the difference 1 Not in the house, 
but, as they began to build, the wise build- 
er dug deep, and the foundation stone was 
firmly founded upon a rock ; no storm could 
hurt his house unless it could rend the immov- 
able rock ; the other built upon the sand, think- 
ing not of future tempest. Thus will it be with 
all who build their hopes for eternal life on any 
other foundation than the Rock, Jesus Christ 
— " a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner- 
stone, a sure foundation." A rock from the 
throne of God, let down, laid in Zion, by a Fa- 
ther s hand, that all who will may build thereon 
and be safe. 



86 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Sudden destruction, . . . without remedy. 

Was the illustration only suitable for Pales- 
tine ? Only a few months since, in a western 
city, a family sat around their table. A young, 
smiling mother, the happy children, each in his 
place, the father sitting there, a sweet Saturday 
evening home scene. Suddenly there was a 
crash ! the snapping of timbers, breaking of 
beams, the fearful sound of falling walls. Hours 
after, the crushed and mangled forms of the 
dead were dug out of the ruins — those innocent 
ones suffered because the builders built upon 
the sand, and when close by, excavations were 
made, to build again, destruction came to that 
happy family. Remember your own fate and 
the fate of others — for eternity rests upon how 
you build. 

How can you build in safety } Paul has an- 
swered : " For other foundation can no man lay 
than is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now, if any 
man build upon the foundation in gold, silver, 
precious stones, wood, hay, stubble ; every man's 
work shall be made manifest : for the day shall 
declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire ; 



The Two Foundaiions, 87 

Take heed how ye hear. 

and the fire shall try every man's work of what 
sort it is." — I Cor. iii, 11-13. 

Hear the warning — do the will of Him who 
would save you from an eternal tempest of 
despair. 



From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



In Him was life. 



CHAPTER XII. 

POWER OVER DEATH. 

The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God : and they 
that hear shall live. — ^JOHN v, 25. 

'T^HE day after the cure of the centurion's 
-*- son, Jesus and his disciples, with many 
others who had joined the company, went to 
the Httle city in GaHlee, called Nain, or " the 
lovely," a pleasant town whose ruins are now 
only tombs and rocky sepulchers, an hour's 
ride from the foot of Mount Tabor. As the 
company came toward the city walls, on the 
borders of the plain of Esdraelon, thc}^ saw 
coming from the gate a funeral procession fol- 
lowing the bier, on which lay the dead only son 
of a widow. The voices of wailing did not keep 
the Saviour's ear from hearing the low moan 
from that widowed, bereft heart. The two com- 
panies came nearer, one bearing the body of 
death, the other following the Lord of life. 



Power Over Death. 



89 



The dead hear His voice. 



Jesus first spoke to the mother : " Weep not." 
She had no time to wonder at such words, for 
his hand was laid upon the bier. All stopped, 
and the word of power was spoken to the silent, 
stiff form, " Young man, arise ! " 




No midnight cavern suddenly illumed with a 

flood of sunlight ever revealed such an utter 

change as was wrought by that one sentence, 

mighty in its divine power : " Arise ! " 

Death was changed to Hfe ; the weeping 
6 



90 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

They that hear, live. 

widow became the joyful mother ; the common 
gateway a holy place ; the funeral procession, a 
train of witnesses for Christ. So by the gate 
of Nain, Jesus first showed the vital truth that 
souls dead in sin shall be made alive in Christ ; 
that the renewed heart shall be a living temple 
for Christ, that repentant sinners may be wit- 
nesses for him. 

The story of the widow's son restored to life 
is given us by Luke only ; the second miracle 
of raising the dead is given by Matthew, Mark, 
and Luke. The raising of Lazarus, with all its 
tender marks of love and grief, is described by 
the devoted John. In all our pictures of the 
matchless life, inspired pens have enshrined 
their human memories of the passing days of 
him whose acts were like our own, only without 
sin ; and Jesus is revealed to us, not as some 
chiseled sculpture, miraculously breathing the 
breath of life, and uttering, like some artistic 
oration, sentences of exalted poetry and beau- 
ty, but, as walking, resting, eating, drinking, 
engaged in the common acts of life. 



Power Over Death. 



91 



A father's prayer. 



So one day, while near the sea-side, having 
just returned from the eastern side of the Sea 
of Galilee, and while he was yet " nigh unto the 
sea," (Mark v, 21,) a ruler came and fell at his 
feet, begging him to come and see his only 




daughter lying so hopelessly ill, that he repre- 
sented her as "even now dead." (Matt, ix, 18.) 
Jesus arose and went with him, followed by many 
besides the disciples. On the v/ay occurred 
that beautiful episode which makes the two 



92 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Who touched Me ? 

miracles one complete picture of faith and 
works ; so the two are inseparable. 

As the crowd pressed on — the anxious fa- 
ther, with hurrying feet — Jesus suddenly halted. 
How quickly the touch of a hand stretched for 
mercy thrilled his heart ! There was a trem- 
bling sufferer in the thronging crowd — twelve 
years, all the gladsome life-time of the child 
toward whom they were going. She had passed 
days of pain, nights of wakeful weariness ; hope 
in physicians and despair when their skill failed, 
until a life of poverty and pain was worse than 
a tomb in the way-side rocks. " If I can only 
touch his garment," she thought, and so the 
sinewy, wasted hand took hold of the hem of 
his long robe as he walked. Life came to the 
emaciated body in the touch ; to the soul glad- 
ness, gratitude for the loving words, " Daughter, 
be of good comfort — go in peace." 

But O! the trying delay to the anxious ruler, 
those few moments of joy to the diseased wom- 
an ; the servants came meeting the ruler, say- 
ing, ''Trouble not the Master; she is dead." 



Power Over Death. 



93 



She is not dead, but sleepeth. 



An answering voice said, " Only believe/' and 
perhaps the cure the father had just witnessed 
strengthened his faith. They went into the 
house through the noisy crowd of mourners, 




while Jesus asked, "Why make ye this ado? 

She is not dead, but sleepeth." 

"And they laughed him to scorn." 

Strange laughter this, w^hen they knew her 

cold body was ready for the grave. Jesus un- 



94 From Bethlehem to Calvaky. 

Damsel, arise. 

derstood the grief of the parents over their lost 
daughter. Peter, James, and John, with the 
parents, Christ allowed to enter the chamber of 
death to hear him speak the word " Arise " — 
to see her obey and walk, to see his thoughtful 
care, and the clear proof of restored health when 
he commanded food to be brought, which the 
astonished parents had neglected to do. 

John was one of the three who witnessed this 
miracle, yet in his Gospel there is no mention 
of it. His writings, more than any other, give 
us the words of him whom he calls '* the Word," 
who was '^ with God in the beginning," who was 
** made flesh and dwelt among us.'' 

Others who also beheld "his glory," "full of 
grace and truth," describe the raising of the 
widow's son and the ruler's daughter, while 
John vividly portrays the bereavement in the 
home in Bethany, the very words of touching 
grief the sisters both used to the Master when 
he came after their days of painful watching 
and waiting : " Lord, if thou hadst been here, 
my brother had not died." John excels in a 



Power Over Death, 95 

Christ's power over death. 

dramatic power of description ; he tells even 
the remarks of the Jews as they saw when 
" Jesus wept," and the conversation around the 
grave. Jesus, by divine power, bade Lazarus 
come forth and gave him life to obey ; but to 
show that divine work must be accompanied by 
human obedience, he bade them " take away 
the stone," and then " loosen the grave-clothes." 

Jesus restored three from death : an only son, 
an only daughter, an only brother ; in child- 
hood, youth, manhood ; one from the bed, one 
from the bier, one from the sealed grave. 

Thus clearly, in a way which infidelity can 
neither explain away nor disprove, the Lord of 
life showed his power over death. 



96 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Herod lays hold upon John. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

MARTYRDOM OF THE BAPTIST. 

Let not your "heart be troubled : ye believe in God, believe 
also in me. — JOHN xiv, i. 

A FTER the twelve had been set apart and 
•^^^ commenced their duties, Jesus again de- 
voted himself to his own w^ork of teaching and 
preaching, and, accompanied by the disciples, 
made a second circuit in the various cities of 
Galilee. A year before, John the Baptist, the 
fearless preacher, had offended Herod Antipas, 
and was a prisoner in the Castle of Machserus, 
a fort near the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. 
It seems that in prison he was not denied the 
visits of his disciples, for he heard rumors of the 
miracles of Jesus, and perhaps of the sending 
out of the apostles. Whether it v/as to satisfy 
any doubts in his own mind, because in his 
lonely exile he who had been sent to prepare 
the way for the Messiah could not hear of any 



Martyrdom of tPie Baptist, g/ 

This Man doeth many miracles. 

great establishment of his kingdom, or whether 
to direct his own followers to Jesus, we know 
not ; but he sent two of them to ask him the 
direct question: "Art thou he that should 
come, or do we look for another ? " How did 
Jesus answer them ? He who spake as never 
man spake gave no logical argument, no trea- 
tise on divinity, but taught them by plain " ob- 
ject lessons " and living illustrations. What 
they were, Luke, the physician, who knew 
diseases and their symptoms, and the time 
•required for medicinal cures, tells us : " In 
that same hour he cured many of their infirmi- 
ties and plagues, and of evil spirits ; and unto 
many that were blind he gave sight.'' 

No boasting of his power, only the simple 
logic of facts : " Go your way, and tell John what 
things ye have seen and heard ; how that the 
blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, 
the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor 
the Gospel is preached." 

Nor was that all the message : " Blessed is 
he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." 



98 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Caution against discouragement. 

John had preached of the judgment to come, 
had himself lived a stern, austere life, and in the 
long inactive winter of imprisonment, when he 
knew the wicked king and the more wicked 
Herodias would like to silence him forever, he 
longed to hear that Jesus had declared himself 
as the Messias. He, too, remembered the scene 
at the Jordan when he had called Jesus the 
Lamb of God, and it was hard for the fiery- 
hearted zealot in his chains to learn the lesson 
that thousands have ever to learn — to wait. So, 
under the guise of John's question, was a covert 
prompting to Jesus to declare himself, just as 
Mary at the wedding in Cana stated the need, 
evidently suggesting his help. But Jesus did 
not see fit to make any more explicit declara- 
tion of his character and mission than his 
works, as appealed to, offered. He, however, 
perhaps for the encouragement of this impris- 
oned herald, and to incite him to hold fast his 
faith in him, says, " Blessed is he, whomsoever 
shall not be offended in me." 

Was not John's dreary cell brightened by 



Martyrdom of the Baptist. 99 

Faithful unto death. 

comfort and joy when the messengers returned ? 
And when the executioner came to bear his 
head into the dancing-hall, the last conscious 
moments may have been more peaceful for the 
knowledge that his own work was done, and the 
expected Messias was then blessing the earth 
with his presence. 

Perhaps the messengers were the same two 
disciples who buried the dismembered body of 
John, and then " went and told Jesus." 

With no fulsome flattery to be borne to John, 
after the two had gone, Jesus talked to the 
multitude of the Baptist's preaching in the wil- 
derness, for many of them had been among the 
crowds who heard him cry, '' Repent ye, for the 
kingdom of heaven is at hand." By his ques- 
tions he showed his insight into their motives 
in going to hear, and John's heart and purpose 
in preaching, and at the same time paid the 
highest tribute to the fearless preacher : '' A 
prophet, and more than a prophet." Others 
more remote had foretold the coming of Christ ; 
John was the morning-star, whose light melted 



100 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

The greatness of heavenly citizenship. 

into the full dawn of the Sun of Righteousness, 
and with what humility he said : " My joy, there- 
fore, is fulfilled ; " " he must increase, but I 
must decrease." 

The lips of Jesus never uttered stronger words 
of approval than those he used when speaking 
of the earnest Baptist of the wilderness. He 
stamped as fulfilled in him the prophecies of 
Isaiah and of Malachi, and declared that of 
all beings of mortal birth there had '* not risen 
a greater than John the Baptist." Was it that 
no other had been so honored as to prepare 
the way of the Lord, or did none exceed him 
in piety and zeal ? Then follows a statement 
which has occasioned much study and a divided 
opinion as to its meaning : '' Notwithstanding, 
he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is 
greater than he." 

If the kingdom of heaven here means the 
kingdom of Christ, of salvation through his 
name because he died to purchase our redemp- 
tion, then the humblest one w^ho now believes 
may be said to know more fully of his king- 



Martyrdom of the Baptist, loi 



Wherein its blessedness consists. 



dom than one who died before he came. Yet 
we know that Abraham, and Moses, and the 
great multitude afar off, who beheved in his 
future coming, were accepted because of their 
faith. 

Some suppose it to mean that the least 
among those who preach or teach of Christ as a 
risen Saviour have clearer conceptions of his 
redemption than the prophets could have. 

There are others who believe Jesus referred 
to himself. In his humility, his favorite name 
was the " son of man." He became a servant 
to all the wants of humanity, was reproached 
and despised, bathed his disciples' feet, and yet 
he was greater than John, even the '' King of 
kings and Lord of lords." 

Lange says : " Even the least in the kingdom 
of the New Testament enjoys what John could 
not have had, namely, peace in the finished work 
of Christ, and with it, patience in suffering, and 
death, and quiet expectation of the coming of 
Christ, when every wrong shall be righted." 

Let us rejoice in the belief that Jesus spoke of 



102 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

The believer a sanctuary for Christ. 

John as he then was, and the lowliest believer 
as he will be. John, as a messenger for Christ, 
stood in an inner threshold of the temple of 
God, near the holy of holies, but died before the 
vail was rent ; since then the heart of every 
true child may be a holy sanctuary for Christ's 
dying love, and even the lowliest soul may feed 
upon his broken body and shed blood. 



The Gracious Call. 103 



Prayer, thanks, and invitation. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

THE GRACIOUS CALL. 

*• At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O 
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these 
things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto 
babes. Even so. Father ; for so it seemed good in thy sight. 
All things are delivered unto me of my Father : and no man 
knoweth the Son, but the Father ; neither knoweth any man 
the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will 
reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy 
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and 
learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall 
find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my bur- 
den is light." — Matt, xi, 25-30. 

T T was probably while Jesus talked to the 
-■- same multitude near Capernaum that he 
must have looked toward heaven and offered 
the wonderful prayer of thanks to his Father, 
and then, turning to the listening multitude 
whose every heart lay open to his view, uttered 
that gracious call which has come down the 
ages, sounding like a strain of undying music, 
to which not one weary heart ever truly re- 
sponded and did not find rest and peace. Whom 



104 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Not many wise !^, . are called. 

did he address in prayer ? " Father, [his and 
our Father,] Lord of heaven and earth, [an ac- 
knowledgment of his sovereign power and 
wisdom,] I thank thee ; [more than the mere 
expression of gratitude ;] thou hast hid these 
things [the mysteries of the kingdom of God] 
from the wise and prudent/' Who were these ? 
In that day, the scholarly scribes, the ceremo- 
nious Pharisees, the wily courtiers of kings, the 
successful traders ; in our day, the unscrupulous 
speculator, the reckless politician, the shrewd 
usurer, the commercial giant : such the world 
calls wise and prudent ; while, often hidden 
from their keen eyes, and uncoveted because 
unknown, are the treasures of a heart full of 
love to God, but which are revealed to those 
only who are humble and child-like in spirit. 

What sweet submission ! What acquiescence 
to his Father's will! ''Even so'' — let that be 
the motto of every trusting child. 

In an edition of the Bible, hoary with age, 
and penciled by unknown hands that moldered 
long ago, but known and guarded even in dust 



The Gracious Call, 105 

I and my Father are one. 

by Him whom they loved— in this ancient book, 
pubHshed in 161 3, we find this verse rendered : 
" It is so, O Father, because thy good pleasure 
was such." So let us rest in that infinitely 
wise "good pleasure," whatever it may bring 
to us. 

Jesus' prayer being ended, many ancient copies 
say, " Then he turned to his disciples and said, 
All things are delivered unto me." 

This was, perhaps, the first time Jesus had 
openly claimed the measure of divine power 
which made him equal with God. The great 
plan, which was promised when man was driven 
fi-om Eden, and which had been slowly unfold- 
ing through successive centuries in songs and 
visions, was soon to be fulfilled ; the earth was 
soon to be the theater of the scene of redemp- 
tion. 

Between the Father and the Son there exist- 
ed a bond of love so infinite that no mortal 
understanding could fathom it ; only those to 
whom he shall reveal himself shall realize, by 
the sweet assurance of sins forgiven, that he is 



io6 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Come unto Me. 

able and willing to save "even to the utter- 
most/' 

Clear, sweet, in accents of pity, sounds out 
the call, " Come unto me, all ye that labor and 
are heavy laden." In that same ancient Bible 
we find in the marginal reading, " all which feel 
the weight and grief of your sins and miseries." 
What burden so heavy as the weight upon a 
sin-sick soul.? What misery equal to that of 
guilt unforgiven ? Thus would Jesus answer 
John's question, "Art thou he that should 
come.'*" To John in prison, to every impris- 
oned spirit bound in chains more galling than 
ever imperious Roman could bind, he sends the 
answer. Look to no other, listen to no other 
voice of invitation — I am the great Deliverer, 
the one sent, the Christ. 

" Come unto me." Who shall come ? All that 
labor ; whether striving by the fruitless efforts 
of their own ignorance, or by self-imposed pen- 
ances to work out salvation ; all that are heavy 
laden, conscious of the burden, weary, faint, 
aching under the load. " I will g-ivc you rest." 



The Gracious Call, 107 

I will give you rest. 

No purchase, nothing asked, a free-will, gra- 
cious gift ; rest^ blessed word, type of heaven, 
sweet, perfect, a haven to the tempest-tossed, a 
soothing song after the moans of weariness. 

How are we to come ? 

"Take my yoke upon you." This is no cross 
to one who meekly bows and unresistingly re- 
ceives from a loving hand ; but it is irksome, 
galling, to unwilling souls. 

" Learn of me." Blessed lot, to be the pupil 
of such a Teacher. It has often taken royal 
bounty to purchase the gift of scholarship to 
one the world called a master artist ; but this is 
a free invitation, not to the great and noble, 
but to weary, unknown ones, " Come, and learn 
of me." 



io8 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



He taught them many things by parables. 



CHAPTER XV. 

PARABLE OF THE SOWER. 
Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only. — James i, 22. 

T T would appear from the gospel of Matthew, 
-■" that before this time Jesus had used illustra- 
tive teaching. He had likened his hearers to 
the two builders, but had not commenced that 
teaching by parable which no other teacher ever 
so successfully used. His parables among his 
words, as his miracles among his works, show 
divine power. We can picture the Lord as he 
sat in the little ship in one of the inlets of Lake 
Tiberias, the multitude on the shore around 
listening as he spoke these wonderful parables. 
Mark says, " He began again to teach by the 
sea-side ; " Luke tells of the coming of his 
mother and brethren, and the storm on the lake 
— both of which had occurred earlier than this 
time, but are given in connection with this 



Parable of the Sower, 109 

Words of beauty and wisdom. 

parable ; therefore, some Bible scholars infer 
that some of the parables had been given be- 
fore. But certain it is that the exact and cor- 
rect Matthew has enshrined in one matchless 
chapter, like a chain of jewels, these seven par- 
ables ; and from the fifty- third verse of that 
chapter it seems certain that, upon one occa- 
sion, they all fell from the Saviour's lips. 

" Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst 
after righteousness : for they shall be filled.'* 
There stand those eager souls which have drank 
deep draughts from the fountain of inspired 
truth, who see hidden treasures in the mysteries 
of these parables. They find in this group of 
seven, the sacred number, a parable correspond- 
ing with each of the seven beatitudes, showing 
the progressive work of grace in the individual ; 
and in the description of the seven Churches in 
Asia a corresponding description of the w^ork 
of grace ih the organized Church. 

But we leave these abstruse studies for those 
who will follow them in the invaluable works of 
Lange, Trench, and others, in remembering for 



no From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



A sower went forth to sow. 



ourselves the counsel of Chrysostom — ^for his 
wise words called "The Golden-mouthed" — 
"Press not too anxiously the circumstances of 
a parable." Yet we cannot but perceive the 
skillful teaching whereby, in the daily duty and 
work of life, the sowing of seed, servants and 
husbandmen, the making of bread, the merchant, 
the fisherman, Jesus shows the work of God in 
the heart. 




For the parable of the sower our Saviour has 
given a key to unlock its meaning and help us 
to understand its truth. The great need in this 



Parable of the Sower. 1 1 1 

Various kinds of hearers. 

busy age is to stop and listen to the Master's 
voice as he says, " Hear ye therefore the par- 
able of the sower/* Then, as now, were four 
kinds of hearers ; now, as then, only more plen- 
tifully, is the seed sown. Then, to the favored 
ones who saw his face and heard his voice ; 
now, scattered over the whole earth are the 
printed word of God, the living preacher, the 
concentrated study of nations on the same truth, 
thousands of printed pages on the same Script- 
ure, the Holy Spirit and the interceding Saviour 
watching over all. As if borne every-where by 
heavenly gales are the leaves of the tree of life 
for the healing of the nations. 

Yet, as crowding, busy feet tread more and 
more firmly the way-side path, so the ever-rush- 
ing traffic of a busy world beats down the soil 
of many hearts, and the Wicked One, whose 
vigilance never tires, seeks to catch away the 
precious seed. 

As in Palestine, the flocks of birds followed 
the one who scattered seeds in the furrows of 
his field, so no\Y the hosts of evil, on wings 



112 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Unfruitful hearers. 

borne up with claims of science and rational- 
ism, and the false reasonings of modern philos- 
ophy, flutter around the field to snatch the truth 
away. 

There are those who have never sought to 
have deeper religious feelings than the emotion- 
al, who have no fixed principle where faith may 
strike its roots deep and strong ; in such the 
mere surface growth of feeling quickly withers 
away. Then, as now, the toiling men of busi- 
ness were bent on accumulating wealth, and 
their hearts and lives often bore only thorns to 
choke out the growth of divine grace. What 
wonder that such sharp thistles should destroy 
the truth, since the thorns sprang into being 
outside the closed gate of Paradise, and it was 
the thorn-tree which furnished a crown for him 
who is the Truth and the Life. 

But there were then — and, blessings be to 
Him for his gifts of grace, there are now — 
thousands who not only did hear, and under- 
stand, and embrace the truth, but also bore 
fruit abundantly. It was no marvel in that 



Parable of the Sower, 113 

Applying hearers. 

land that seed should yield a hundredfold : 
Isaac reaped such a harvest, and sometimes in 
Palestine it was even more plentiful. 

Thus shall be the fruit of good works in pro- 
portion to the state of the heart where the seeds 
of divine truth are sown. 

" Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower." 



114 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



A day with Jesus. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

THE BREAD OF LIFE — POWER OVER NATURE. 

Fear thou not ; for I« am with thee : be not dismayed ; 
for I am thy God : I will strengthen thee ; yea, I will help 
thee ; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my right- 
eousness. — IsA. xli, 10. 

1\ /r ATTHEW, in the fourteenth chapter of 
^^^ his Gospel, has given us, perhaps more 
entirely than any other evangelist, the record 
of a day during the active life of Christ, before 
that closing week of which we have accounts of 
almost every hour. On that day news reached 
him of the death of John the Baptist, which 
must have been disheartening to the twelve, 
who had just returned from their first mission 
and reported their work to the Master. He 
had just completed his third circuit through 
Galilee, and now, resolved to leave Tiberias, he 
invited the disciples to go away for "rest 
awhile ; " therefore they went . to the eastern 



The Bread of L ife — Power over Nature. 115 

The five loaves of the five thousand. 

shore of the lake near to Bethsaida. But 
though they desired to go " by ship privately," 
it was known among the people, and, in their 
eagerness to hear and see Jesus, many went 
running along the shore of the lake from the 
towns and villages, so that when Jesus arrived 
he found a great multitude. He was moved 
with compassion — whenever was a hungry soul 
turned empty away from him ? He healed the 
sick, and taught by word and work until the 
shadows lay long upon the fields. About six 
in the evening of that spring day the hungry, 
listening groups of fifties and hundreds sat on 
the green grass, and by miraculous power the 
offering of the lad, whose basket held two small 
fishes and five plain barley loaves of bread, re- 
lieved the hunger of " five thousand men, beside 
women and children/' This is remarkable as 
the only miracle described by all four of the 
evangelists. 

John tells us that the well-pleased multitude 
would have proclaimed Christ a king, a proceed- 
ing in which, perhaps, his disciples would have 



ii6 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Tempestuousness without Christ. 

acted a willing part ; but the omniscient Jesus 
" straightway constrained " them to go in a ship, 
perhaps the Httle boat belonging to one of his 
fisherman attendants, which he long before had 
engaged should " wait on him." 

The disciples were sent away before he left, 
when he went alone into a mountain to pray. 
Fitting close for a day of blessing to so many : 
to seek for himself rest and refreshing in that 
lonely spot, by communion with the Father, 
and that not by a few brief words of prayer — 
brief because he was weary — but hours of com- 
muning. 

While the night was passing with him in 
peaceful prayer, the disciples, who wished their 
boat to linger near the shore, found themselves 
driven by contrary winds and tempestuous 
waves far out into the middle of the sea. About 
three in the morning they could see through 
the darkness a living, moving form upon the 
waters. While they were trembling with fear, 
a familiar voice, full of love, sought to assure 
them, saying, " It is I ; be not afraid." The 



The Bread of L ife — Power over Nature, 117 

I can do all things tlirough Christ. 

ambitious, daring Peter, ever ready to play a 
prominent part, attempted to perform the same 
miracle that Jesus did, of walking on the sea. 

He is not the only one who has self-confi- 
dently tried to walk with Jesus and found an 
overwhelming flood. 

Peter looked at the foaming billows and 
heard their roar, then he began to sink ; not 




until then did he cry, " Lord, save me.'* How 
quickly the outstretched hand rescued, even 
while the voice of love and pity said, " O thou 
of little faith ! " 



ii8 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Christ's presence brings calmness, 

Christ's presence in the ship wrought another 
miracle, for no sooner was he entered than the 
wind ceased. Were there others in the boat 
— sailors — besides the disciples ? They surely 
needed none others to guide the little boat, for 
many of them had spent much of their lives 
upon the water — so we conclude there were no 
others. 

But whether all disciples, or others besides, 
the travelers on the little vessel worshiped him ; 
the narrow deck was in the gray morning light 
a Bethel, and the language of their praise, " Of 
a truth thou art the Son of God ! '' Mark, 
whose graphic pen sometimes gives deeper tints 
to his pictures than do those of the other evan- 
gelists, says, " they considered not the miracle 
of the loaves." 

Was it that this miracle outshone the one of 
the preceding day ? or did they, like too many 
now, accept the daily bread and loving care as 
an expected bounty, and give less thanks than 
for deliverance from danger ? 

To superficial readers this miracle seems only 



The Bread of L ife — Power over Natiire. 1 1 9 

And stays the' soul on God. 

an evidence of supernatural power. Such only- 
see the foam upon the surface wave ; they gaze 
not into the fathomless depths of divine com- 
passion and power. They see not that the 
night of holy prayer made the boiling waves a 
smooth floor to His feet ; carried assuring safety 
in the words, " It is I ; " lifted Peter from en- 
gulfing waves; conquered the tempest, and left 
to His Church for evermore lessons of faith and 
trust in Him who can conquer every tempest 
of unbelief, all the powers of threatening evil ; 
the touch of whose hand can rescue every 
sinking soul, whose voice can silence every 
fear. 

The miracles of the five thousand fed and of 
Jesus walking on the sea both occurred near 
the time of the third passover in the ministry 
of Christ. 

This has occasioned much discussion among 
commentators, and a few, among them Ellicott, 
believe our Lord's ministry to have been less 
than the generally accepted belief that it lasted 
three years, embracing four passover feasts. 



I20 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Christ our Passover. 

counting the one at the beginning of his serv- 
ice the third, when John says, " He would not 
walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill 
him," and the fourth, on which he was *^ the 
Lamb slain for the sin of the world." 



The Cross Foretold, 12 1 



Christ instructeth the disciples. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

THE CROSS FORETOLD. 

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so 
must the Son of man be lifted up. — John iii, 14. 

T N no other way are the wisdom, tenderness, 
•^ and love of Christ more exempHfied than in 
his intercourse with his disciples, his instruc- 
tions to them, the gradual unfolding of his plans, 
and their share in his work, " as they were able 
to bear it." 

Just before this time, Peter, ever ready to 
speak for himself and all the rest, had assured 
Jesus that they believed him to be in truth " the 
Christ, the Son of the living God." Yet in their 
dim notions of what the life of the Messiah 
should be were visions of kingly rule on earth — 
of a time when he should reign in power in 
Jerusalem. 

From this time Jesus began to lift the vail, 
and to show them that he must, indeed, go to 



122 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Peter rebukes the Master. 

Jerusalem, but it would be to suffer and die ; 
still, though indistinct to their sight, mingled in 
the dark overhanging shadows of death, he 
endeavored to throw gleams of the glory of his 
resurrection. 

This was startling news to them, and Peter, 
again elated with the words of commendation 
Christ had given him, even rebuked the master. 
The ancient version has it : — 

"Then Peter took him aside and rebuked 
him, saying. Father, pity thyself — this shall not 
be unto thee/' We can almost see how the 
impulsive Peter eagerly raised his hand and 
laid it on the Master, as if he would forcibly 
hold him back from the impending doom, feel- 
ing that he who was a voluntary sacrifice, who 
had cured the sick and raised the dead, could 
surely save himself. 

Peter, rebuked, was silenced by the use of 
the same words Christ had used to Satan in the 
wilderness. Poor Peter ! ever on the mountain 
top of exultation or in the valley of humiliation, 
ahke demonstrative in each, how slowly did he 



The Cross Foretold. 123 

The Mcdel Teacher. 

learn in those earlier days the lessons he after- 
ward knew so well ; the same lessons of self- 
denial and crossbearing that each follower of 
Jesus must learn. 

Then, as ever, Christ would have each disci- 
ple understand the way — no false inducements 
to follow him. He showed the plain, rugged 
path of duty, with its times of trial and sorrow, 
even the losing of life and thereby saving it, or 
the worldly-wise saving and the eternal losing. 

Prophetic words to the listening twelve ! 
words that Peter deeply studied, and which, 
in the riper years of Christian experience, in 
memory of the perfected life and death of his 
loved Master, he left to the v/orld in those two 
epistles rich in counsel, comfort, and exhorta- 
tion, drawn from the sufferings of Christ and 
the glory to be revealed hereafter. 

Jesus is a model teacher in the aptness of his 
questions. It has been truly said, " a question 
unvails the soul." 

Never before nor since has such skill, such 
searching wisdom, been put in questions as 



124 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

The value of a soul. 

those from the Master's lips, and of them all, 
this is the matchless, the unanswerable one — 
a challenge unaccepted by all the world's arith- 
metic, by all the most exact of worldly scien- 
tists — Mark viii, 36, 37. 

. This question is addressed to every created 
soul possessing powers of decision, and yet, as 
none but divine words could be, adapted not 
only to that day and hour, but to all future 
time. 

What if those disciples became princes 
around an earthly king ? What if the populace 
should accept him as monarch and be satisfied 
with his earthly glory ? Jesus settled that view 
when he replied to the tempter in the wilder- 
ness ; and as he left the question of profit, 
he answered with one glimpse of the coming 
glory and the exceeding great rewards. Of the 
listening circle, Judas alone was to '' taste 
death " before the words were fulfilled ; he, alas ! 
should find in the bitter cup of his own choos- 
ing the galHng, remorseful drugs of undying 
death. Scholars variously interpret the proph- 



The Cross Foretold, 125 

Provision for the righteous after death. 

ecy, " the Son of man coming in his kingdom/* 
whether it meant the transfiguration — which, 
however, only three beheld — the resurrection 
from the tomb, the day of Pentecost, or the ruin 
of Jerusalem and the founding of the Christian 
Church. All these were fulfilled before many 
of the apostles died. 

This verse was the last upon which one of 
our most thorough scholars, the gifted Alexan- 
der, ever fully commented. Soon after he laid 
down his pen, and then he, too, ** tasted death," 
and went home to be with *' the Son of man in 
his kingdom." 



126 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Christ transfigured. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE TRANSFIGURATION. 

Behold, I show you a mystery ; We shall not all sleep, but we 
shall all be changed. — i CoR. xv, 51. 

A FTER Jesus had for the first time plainly 
-^^^ told his disciples he was to suffer and die, 
and for a week it had been the subject of their 
anxious thought, he took the chosen three to be 
witnesses of the most glorious scene of his life 
on earth — his transfiguration. 

This event is believed to have been in the 
night, at the very beginning of the first day of 
the week ; if so, it was, indeed, a hallowed fore- 
taste of the Christian Sabbath and of his resur- 
rection. Those who have studied most thor- 
oughly tell us also that the transfiguration took 
place exactly one year before his ascension to 
heaven. 

Much has been written upon the still unset- 
tled point, upon what mountain it took place. 



Tlie Transfiguration, 127 

The fashion of His countenance was altered. 

Tabor was long believed to be the spot, but now 
we are told that on its steep summit were for- 
tifications and soldiers. It was a high mount- 
ain, up whose side at evening Jesus led his 
three best beloved friends. Luke tells us, " He 
went to pray." Peter, James, and John had 
been with him when he raised the ruler's 
daughter to life. They were to witness his suf- 
ferings in the garden ; to prepare them for 
coming trials they were chosen to be witnesses 
of this night of glory, permitted to be with 
Christ while he so earnestly prayed to the Fa- 
ther. ^^ While he prayed'' (let us not overlook 
the lesson) his countenance was changed ; so, 
long before, was that of Moses when he came 
down from the mount. He whose "life was 
the light of men" had lived disguised in the 
vale of humanity, had entered that life-work 
when at his baptism the Father approved his 
well-beloved Son ; now his divine nature made 
that vail of flesh transparent, and before he 
was to finish that work by death, these disci- 
ples were permitted to have a glimpse of his 



128 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

There talked with Him two men— Moses and Ellas. 

real glory. How highly were these three fa- 
vored above all other disciples ! 

While he prayed they saw his face shining as 
the sun, his raiment white as the light. The 
wondering disciples saw in the dazzling light 
that he was not alone. Moses and Elias were 




talking with him. Did the disciples hear voices ? 
Were they like human accents ? Luke tells us 
"they talked of his decease which he should 
accomplish at Jerusalem." Decease, in the 
original, means exodus, departing ; he was to d^- 



The Trmisfiguration, 129 

They spake of His decease. 

part from the earth he came to bless. " Shotcld 
accoinplishr To us, through him, death comes 
as a transition to endless life. With him death 
was to accomplish the purpose of his earthly life, 
the fulfillment of his atoning work. Death was 
to be vanquished, and the grave conquered. " It 
is finished," he said as he breathed out that life. 
Of that Moses and Elias talked : the lawgiver, 
who died fifteen hundred years before, and was 
buried by the Lord in the unknown valley ; the 
prophet, who was translated in the fiery chariot 
one thousand years before. So when Christ 
comes again, and all the holy angels with him 
all those who have long slept in the grave, and 
those living ones who " shall not taste death," 
shall be "caught up in the air" to be "forever 
with the Lord." 

On the holy mount, even there Peter had 
something to say ; he would have the bright 
vision made permanent, and rear fixed dwelling- 
places on the mount of blessing. Yet Mark 
tells us " he wist not what to say ; for they were 
sore afraid ;" Luke says of Peter, " not knowing 



130 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

This is my beloved Son. 

what he said." He also tells us they were " all 
heavy with sleep," probably were weary from 
the previous day, and had slept while Jesus 
prayed, and woke to see the dazzling light, and 
the heavenly visitants. The Jews not long be- 
fore vainly sought a sign from heaven ; it was 
granted then. As Peter spoke, the overshadow- 
ing cloud of glory rested on them. They were 
filled with awe, for they knew it was the visible 
token of the presence of God. They heard the 
voice, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am 
well pleased ; hear ye him." 

Heaven came down to earth ; the glorified 
Son, the Father in the cloud of light, the heav- 
enly visitants, all were there. Never mortals 
before saw so much of heaven, and they, daz- 
zled, overcome, awestricken, fell with their faces 
on the ground. Jesus had not left the earth. 
His loving heart throbbed with human sympa- 
thy ; his gentle hand touched them ; his com- 
passionate voice said, "Arise, and be not 
afraid.'' 

They looked ; the vision was over, the glory 



The T7'ansJiguration. 131 

Jesus only. 

gone, except the bright traces of that bhssful 
hour radiant in the Redeemer's face, while they 
saw '* Jesus only." 

This scene has inspired poets and painters. 
One of the master artists of the world, who 
loved to picture the events of our Saviour's life, 
even from the babe in Mary's arms, spent years 
of thought and labor on this scene. He com- 
pleted it, but before the canvas was dry the 
artist lay dead beneath it, as it hung upon his 
studio wall, the hand had lost its cunning, the 
great heart was still, and crowds came in silence 
to gaze upon the dead Raphael and his undying 
picture of the transfiguration. 



132 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Jesus' was a holy mind. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

THE MIND OF CHRIST. 

Those that seek me early shall find me. — Proy. viii, 17. 

T T THEN Jesus with the honored disciples 
^ ^ came down from the mountain, he found 
an anxious father with an only son possessed 
of an evil spirit — or lunatic, as the father called 
him — whom the other disciples had failed to 
relieve. Jesus, " in the same hour," cured the 
child, and they passed on. 

As they went, Jesus again told his disciples 
of his approaching sufferings and death, and 
they, yet thinking of some consummation of 
what they supposed would be his plans and 
what part they might bear, disputed as to 
" who should be greatest." 

When they had come into the house in Caper- 
naum — and possibly it was Peter s house, and 
Peter's child whom Jesus called to him, blessed 



The Mind of Christ. 133 

He goeth up to Jerusalem. 

type of every child in every Christian house- 
hold since, for all are called by the same voice 
— he set the little one in the midst, the living 
text of the best lesson on humility the world 
ever had. 

After this, Jesus was urged by some to go up 
to the feast of tabernacles, which was in the 
month Tisri, (October,) and continued eight 
days. This feast was six months before the 
last passover. At first he refused to go, and 
those who had urged went without him ; in the 
midst of the feast Jesus, having been a long 
time absent from Jerusalem, suddenly appeared 
in the temple. 

He was again there at the feast of dedi- 
cation, in midwinter, in the month Chisleu, 
(December.) 

Between these two feasts, and for some time 
after the latter, his time was spent in Perea, 
much of it in circuitous travel, stopping at many 
points in the countries east of the Jordan. 

Probably on his second journey through Perea 
children were brought to him. 



134 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Suffer the little children. 

The parents who brought their little ones — 
even infants, Luke says — wished his hands to 
be placed on them, and that he should pray for 
them. The disciples rebuked them ; by word 
or manner they showed to the children, who 




were old enough to perceive it, (and chil- 
dren quickly understand indifference,) and also 
to those who had brought them, that they were 
unwelcome, that their presence was a hinderance 
and an interruption. They did not approve of 
such Uttle children coming to Jesus. 

Are there any such outside Perea ? Jesus's 



The Miiid of Christ, 1 35 

He put his hands upon them, and blessed them. 

words of blame to his disciples were few, but in 
this case Mark says, " he was displeased." 

The Christian world owes gratitude to the 
objecting apostles for calling out the answer, 
which has ever been one of the most precious of 
the sayings of Jesus, '' Suffer the little children 
to come unto me, and forbid them not." 

He is no less displeased now at every hinder- 
ance in the way of children coming to him than 
he was at the narrow views of his disciples. 
He not only told them that "of such is the king- 
dom of heaven," but made them to understand 
that all who do not have the docile spirit, the un- 
questioning faith, the ready, loving obedi- 
ence of a little child, cannot even enter that 
kingdom. 

His love was not alone for little children, for 
in the same connection we are told a young 
man came running and kneeled before him, 
eager to know what good thing he might do to 
have eternal life. 

Jesus told him to obey the commandments ; 
not like the boasting Pharisee, but in the belief 



136 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Come, and follow Me. 

in a blameless moral life. The young man said : 
*' All these have I kept from my youth up." 
Jesus, looking on him, through him, into his life, 
his inmost thought, *' loved him.'' What com- 
fort to praying mothers, sisters, friends who 
have held up brave and manly ones for Jesus to 
bless and save. Yet that young man went 
away, and was sorrowful. Mistaken youth ! He 
thought he loved and served God faithfully, but 
it was only the obedience of an outwardly correct 
life, no stronger righteousness than the right- 
eousness of self ; it could not come up to the 
' true test of a believing heart — love supreme to 
God, and to his neighbor as himself. 



yesus the Christ — the Model Teacher, 137 

The last journey of the Master. 



CHAPTER XX. 

JESUS THE CHRIST THE MODEL TEACHER. 

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables ; 
and without a parable spake he not unto them : that it might 
he fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will 
open my moutli in parables ; I will utter things which have 
been kept secret from the foundation of the world. — Matt. 
xiii. 3-^> 35- 

'nr^HE six months from the feast of taber- 
^ nacles, in October, until the presence of 
Christ in Bethany, six months before his death, 
Robinson pronounces the most difficult portion 
of the whole Gospel harmony. We know that 
Jesus was at the feast of dedication, in winter, 
and " walked " in the temple in Solomon s porch, 
and that ''he went away again beyond Jordan, 
where John at first baptized, and there he 
abode." The "seventy" had previously been 
sent out from Capernaum, and had "returned 
again with joy." It is certain that the sisters of 
Bethany well knew where to send the message, 



138 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

The last miracles of Christ. 

" He whom thou lovest is sick." After the rais- 
ing of Lazarus, which produced so profound an 
impression in Jerusalem, the chief priests, under 
the counsel of Caiaphas, resolved to put him to 
death ; and after this, John says he "walked no 
more openly among the Jews, but went thence 
unto a country near to the wilderness, into a 
city called Ephraim, and there continued with 
his disciples." Previous to the feast of dedica- 
tion in December was probably made the fourth 
and final circuit of Galilee, when on his return 
toward Jerusalem, passing through the midst of 
Samaria, the ten lepers stood afar off and cried 
for mercy, one only of whom, a Samaritan, re- 
turned to give thanks for the cure. These 
weeks, which have so perplexed harmonists, 
are full of treasures of divine wisdom which 
fell from the Saviour's lips. In lingering with 
affection over the memory of loved ones, do 
we not prize their words, rather than the scene 
and the time when they were spoken ? what 
they did, not when or how they did it. Is it not 
the jewel and the golden setting we value rather 



Jesus the Clirist — the Model Teacher. 1 39 

The Gospel according- to St, Luke. 

than the precise hour when the work was per- 
formed ? Is there not danger that in scholarly 
zeal to determine the exact chronology and 
geography of each event in Christ's life the 
deep teaching and inexhaustible truth may be 
overlooked ? May not the eager intellect starve 
the yearning heart ? 

We cannot do better in regard to this disputed 
period of time than to follow the example of the 
Evangelist Luke, the wise physician, who un- 
derstood the wants of the soul as well as dis- 
eases of the body, who has left us so many 
connected details in his history, who so often 
inserts reasons or explanations of his facts, who 
gives such tender pictures of Jesus as the friend 
of suffering humanity. Woman, who owes every 
thing blessed in her lot to the Gospel of Christ, 
should prize Luke's writings, for in his gospel, 
and in his account of the Acts of the Apostles, 
his pen pays glowing tribute to woman, from his 
mention of the blameless EHsabeth, mother of 
John the Baptist, and the triumphant song of 
Mary, to Dorcas, of Joppa, '' full of good works 



140 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Never man spake like this man. 

and alms-deeds." In his Gospel, beginning with 
the time when " Jesus went through the cities 
and villages/' evidently in the undefined region 
called Perea, *' teaching and journeying toward 
Jerusalem," he groups into seven chapters a 
brilliant constellation of parables. It seems as 
if '' He who spake as never man spake," know- 
ing the time was short, in his great love desir- 
ing to imprint saving truth in indelible lines, 
concentrated his doctrines in these undying 
pictures. 

In the beginning of this series, Jesus was in- 
vited on the Sabbath to dine at the house of a 
chief man among the Pharisees, evidently with 
no genuine hospitality, for when he cured a man 
of the dropsy their criticisms drew out the para- 
ble of the great supper. A crowd of publicans 
and sinners soon gathered to hear him, to whom 
was given the matchless picture of the prodigal 
son : this has been called "the pearl of para- 
bles ; " is it not rather " a stone most precious, 
clear as crystal," in whose wondrous depths lie 
mirrored the fathomless, loving heart of God 



Jesus the Christ — the Model Teacher. 141 

"Wonderfal Parables. 

yearning over and welcoming back his wan- 
dering children to his forgiving embrace, and 
also reflecting, in its man3^-sided crystal lights, 
pictures of fallen humanity waking from its 
frenzy, conscious of want, and in the shreds 
of selfish, false endeavor coming penitently to 
the Father's arms and the safe home shelter ? 
From this parable poets and artists have gath- 
ered inspiration and fame ; but, far better than 
either, it has drawn to the Father's forgiving 
heart many a prodigal, and watching angels 
have had joy in heaven over repenting sinners. 
To the covetous Pharisees, who "derided him," 
Jesus told of the rich man and Lazarus. With 
skillful words he drew contrasts between the 
one in purple and fine linen, the other in rags ; 
one who had feasts every day, the other crumbs ; 
one hosts of friends, the other the sympathy of 
dogs. One event, death, came to both ; mere 
contrasts, but a reversed picture. One was 
doubtless buried with pomp ; the other shuffled 
off into some by-cave in the rocks. To one a 
funeral train ; to the other an escort of angels. 



142 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Words of wisdom. 

For one, heaven with its fuhness of joy ; for the 
other, a longing for one drop of cool water from 
the hand that on earth eagerly seized a few 
crumbs at his lordly gate. To the disciples Jesus 
told of his future coming ; to the Pharisees, of 
the boasting Pharisee and the humble, praying 
publican. He blessed the children who were 
brought to him, and looked with love upon 
the rich young man who " went away sorrow- 
ful ; '' and as he discoursed upon the tempta- 
tions which befell the rich, he gave the parable 
of the laborers in the vineyard. 

He recrossed the Jordan, and going in a west- 
erly direction passed through Jericho, where he 
healed the blind man, and stopped to dine with 
the rich Zaccheus, and then gave the parable of 
the pounds. As he continued to approach nearer 
to Jerusalem, he arrived " at Bethany six days 
before the passover.'' Then Simon, a restored 
leper, honored his benefactor by a feast, where 
Lazarus sat and partook, a living testimony of 
Christ's power over the grave. Martha, true to 
her thoughtful housewifery habits, served the 



yesus the Christ — the Model Teacher, 143 

Martha and Mary. 

guest ; while Mary, with her precious offering, 
anointed the feet, worn with errands of mercy, 
now so nearly through life's weary way ; and 
while the house was filled with the perfume of 
the costly odor, typical of saintly love, she all 
unconsciously made her name ever fragrant to 
believing ones, until all shall meet in the atmos- 
phere of the incense of ** the golden vials full of 
odors which are the prayers of the saints." 

Luke, with his penetrating estimate of female 
character, has won for Martha the reputation 
of being one of those over-anxious housekeep- 
ers, whom, however, the home- world would not 
willingly spare ; and it is he who gives us the 
picture of Mary at the feet of Jesus. John 
completes the portraiture of the devoted Mary, 
when he shows us, by her act of anointing, that 
she understood the Saviour s words more thor- 
oughly than his chosen disciples, for Jesus knew 
that the costly ointment had been purchased, 
perhaps, by some extra industry or self-denial, 
to pour out upon the loved body when near the 
day of death and burial. 



144 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Christ's triumphal entry. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

J ESUS THE KING. 

Hosanna ; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the 
Lord. — Mark xi, 9. 

^■^HE day after the anointing at Bethany, 
-■- the news of Jesus coming near seems to 
have reached Jerusalem, for many went out to 
meet him on his way. The busy hum of ex- 
pectation had began in the gathering crowd in 
the great city, in preparation for the coming 
feast. The events of this stirring week may be 
thus classified: — 

Monday. — Triumphal entry. Returns to Bethany at night. 

Tuesday. — Curses the barren fig-tree on the way to the temple. 

Wednesday. — Taught by parable in the temple. Took leave of the 
temple at evening. Supper at Bethany. 

Thursday. — Sent two disciples to prepare the passover: At evening — 
last supper. Getlisemane, The arrest. 

Friday. — Jeioish trial — Annas, Caiaphas, Sanhedrin. Boma/n trial-' 
Pilate, Herod, Pilate. Crucifixion. Burial. 

Saturday. — In the tomb. 

Sunday. — The resurrection. 

When Jesus, with his disciples, reached the 
Mount of Olives, which overlooked Jerusalem, 



yestis the King, 145 

Hosanna in the highest. 

they halted, and he sent two of his disciples 
(we have no hint which two they were) to a 
certain village " over against " them, where he 
said they would find a colt for him to ride. 
They did so ; seated upon an ass's colt, as was 
customary for kings in times of peace, the Prince 
of Peace rode to the city. The disciples had 
taken off their outer wrappings, or robes, and 
put them on the colt for him to ride upon, an 
honor often bestowed upon kings. 

A multitude went with them, for the fame 
of Jesus's having raised Lazarus from the dead a 
few days before brought a wondering crowd to 
see him. Many joined the procession to go up 
to the feast ; many went, as did the blind men he 
had restored to sight, (who had immediately 
turned and followed him,) because of some mir- 
acle of mercy ; many had already gone from the 
city to meet him ; so it was a very great multi- 
tude which formed the triumphal procession. 

As they would have done at the proclamation 
of a new king, they threw down their garments 
in his path, cutting leaves and branches from 



146 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Blessed is He that cometli 

the palm-trees with which they strewed his way, 
or waved the leaves as emblems of victory. 




Probably the disciples began singing, it be- 
ing the custom as companies went up to the 
feast to chant responsively the psalms, those 
going before being replied to by those Jn the 
rear of the procession. As they went along 
others joined, the crowd meanwhile increasing 
in numbers and in enthusiasm, shouting, sing- 
ing words of prophecy they thought realized, 
with hosannas and halleluias ; while some al- 
most echoed the "glory to God in the highest" 



Jesiis the Kvig 147 

in the name of the Lord. 

the angels sang over Bethlehem, and called on 
the heavenly host now to join in their raptur- 
ous praises. This was the only hour in Jesus's 
life which seemed, to earthly view, his hour of 
triumph. 

How did the music of that chorus fall upon 
his heart, human in its sympathies, divine in 
its knowledge and purposes ! Blended with 
the triumphant notes, there was a miserere that 
touched that holy fountain of pity — the Saviour s 
tears — and he wept over the city. Himself silent 
amid the demonstrative crowd, Jesus passed 
through the streets of Jerusalem. A token 
of discontent, however — a suspicious, jealous 
watching — was visible as he went to the tem- 
ple. It was increased when, either on that day 
or the next, he drove out the money-changers 
and broke up the traffic, while he told the un- 
scrupulous traders they had made the " house 
of prayer '' a den of thieves." 

How quickly his coming was known among 
the people ! how strong their faith in his power 
to heal ! how loud the praise when he healed 



148 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

The whole city was moved. 

the blind and lame who came to him ! Even 
the children and the young people, who were 
accustomed to join in the songs in the temple, 
cried out, Hosanna to the Son of David. 

The scribes and chief priests were offended, 
and would have silenced them if they could, 
having no sympathy with these rejoicings. 

But Jesus left no prophecy, not one tittle of 
the law, unfulfilled. It was part of the Mosaic 
law that the victim to be offered at the passover 
feast should be set apart four days before the 
passover ; so, four days before that memorable 
time, the true paschal Lamb presented himself 
in the temple. 

It was on Monday, the eleventh day of the 
month Nisan, (April,) according to Robinson's 
" Harmony of the Gospels " — the tenth day of 
Nisan, according to Mimpriss's " Harmony," 
Robinson dating the day from the preceding 
sunset, as was the Jewish custom — when Jesus 
triumphantly entered into Jerusalem. Some 
writers claim that the triumphal entry was 
on the first day of the week, and that on the 



ycsus the King. 149 



A day of triumph. 



next day he returned, when the rest of the 
events related in connection with it took place. 
That one day he who was Lord of the temple 
— to whom belonged its worship — seemed to 
rule there. He purified its grounds of its pro- 
fane traffic, and drove therefrom, by the power 
of holiness, the sinful traders, as he can cleanse 
the heart and will purify his own Church. That 
day he listened to praises, as he ever will listen 
to the praise of all adoring hearts ; that day he 
blessed with deeds of mercy those who came to 
him, as he ever will bless all who come ; and 
amid all the crowding thoughts of his full heart, 
the weight of coming sorrow pressing on him, 
he silenced the priests, and showed us how ac- 
ceptable to him is the homage of child-love and 
praise. He repeated the prophecy of David 
of the time when earth shall be filled with his 
glory, and when, as in heaven, the loudest, 
sweetest chorus shall be the blended music of 
thousands of children, who, through his redemp- 
tion, shall ever give to him " perfected praise." 



4» 
150 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Christ teacheth in the temple. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

This do in remembrance of me. — i Cor. xi, 24 

A /TOST commentators agree that on Mon- 
^-^ day of the last week of our Saviour's 
life was his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. 
That on Tuesday he cursed the barren fig-tree as 
he came in from Bethany, where he had passed 
the night, then proceeded to the temple, and, 
as many believe, on that day drove out the trad- 
ers. That on Wednesday he taught again in the 
temple, where he delivered the parables of the 
wicked husbandmen and the marriage of the 
king's son, talked of the resurrection, sat over 
against the treasury, and saw the poor widow 
casting her two mites. 

He then left the temple for the last time, and 
on the Mount of Olives sat and talked with his 
disciples. On Wednesday evening — but as Rob- 
inson calls it, on Thursday, as the Jewish day 



The Lord's Supper. 151 

The Paschal Lamb. 

began with the preceding sunset — he was at 
supper in Bethany, where Mary had previously 
anointed him, at which Judas was offended, and, 
laying his treacherous plan, "from that time 
sought opportunity to betray him." 

All agree that the paschal lamb was to be 
slain between three o'clock and dark on the 
fourteenth of Nisan, (April,) so in the after- 
noon of Thursday he sent his disciples with 
exact directions where and how to prepare the 
passover, that he might eat it with them. 

Peter and John, the two nearest and dearest 
to him — one most loving, the other most eagerly 
helpful — were sent to engage the upper guest- 
chamber of some believer, it may be, in Jerusa- 
lem, and " there they made ready the passover." 

The shades of evening began to fall, and 
there, recHning at the table together for the 
last time, were the twelve around the Master. 
They partook of the lam.b, Jesus with the rest. 
On this occasion he washed their feet, to teach 
them that last lesson of humble service ; he 
talked with them at the paschal meal, and plain- 



152 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Institution of the Lord''s Supper. 

ly designated the traitor, who went immediately 
out — and *' it was night." 

We have four distinct accounts of the insti- 
tution of the last supper, yet few scenes in the 
Bible have been the subject of more discussion 
than this. Matthew and John were present, 
and though John does not speak of its begin- 
ning, he gives us many of the words spoken 
there. 

Mark, it is said, received his account from 
Peter, Paul from the Lord himself after he had 
risen, Luke probably from Paul, with whom he 
was long associated. Most writers believe that 
after Judas went out, after the usual paschal 
feast was nearly or quite completed, Jesus in- 
stituted the touching feast, which Christians 
have ever loved to observe, and ever will until 
the last believer is gathered home. 

How beautiful and how impressive the sim- 
plicity of the broken bread and the wine ; yet 
what volumes have been written upon it. The 
broken bread, symbol of Him who is the "bread 
of life," the food of undying souls, crushed and 



The Lord's Supper, 153 

This do in remembrance of Me. 

broken in the agony of death as the wheat is 
crushed, and so becomes the sustenance of the 
body. The wine, the inner principle of life, 
crushed from the perfect fruit, emblem of the 
blood of him whose life, " perfect through suffer- 
ing," was freely poured out an atonement for 
sin. 

As Jesus sat in the deepening shadows of 
that upper room, while tlie denser shadows of 
death were gathering around him, he left a rich 
legacy to those disciples, and to the Church 
forever. 

The supper itself, a living memorial until the 
end of time — " This do in remembrance of me " 
— a memorial of his dying love, of his union 
with his disciples and they with him, whereby 
they may be filled with his own spirit and nour- 
ished with spiritual life ; of the union of Chris- 
tians with each other, whereby those of different 
names can sit together one household of faith, 
and one in Christ — a sweet foretaste of the 
time when, with the new wine of unmingled 

blessedness, all can partake at the marriage 
10 



154 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Sweet words of comfort. 

supper of the Lamb. For part of that precious 
legacy we are indebted to the disciple who 
leaned upon his breast, whose waiting ear 
caught every accent of the thrilling voice ; 
messages of comfort and of trust, the peace 
the world cannot give, promises of help and 
strength that have upborne many a sinking 
soul in waves of trouble ; that have helped many 
a despairing spirit on the shores of death ; and 
words that have been repeated in the whispers 
of dying lips. 

In the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth 
chapters of John we have the words of comfort 
that fell upon the sorrowing, wondering hearts 
of that little company; and in the seventeenth 
chapter that wonderful intercessory prayer. 
Then they sang a hymn, perhaps with bowed 
heads and stricken hearts ; but even in his sor- 
row Christ could sing. So at the marriage 
supper of the Lamb, " they shall come with 
singing ;" at that feast, purchased by his sacri- 
fice, "everlasting joy shall be upon their heads," 
and " sorrow and sighing shall flee away." 



yesiis in Gethsemane. 155 



On the way to Gethsemane. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

JESUS IN GETHSEMANE. 

O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me : 
nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. — Matt, xxvi, 39, 

'THHE solemn company left the upper cham- 
^ ber in the moonlight, for it was in the 
springtime, and nearly the full moon, and went 
to the Mount of Olives. A few days before 
this same mount had been a scene of triumph ; 
now Jesus, with the eleven, went there to a place 
which ihey all knew was His favorite resort for 
prayer. They crossed the brook Cedron — 
meaning black brook, for its waters mingled 
with the blood of sacrifices from the temple, 
flowing downward toward the Dead Sea. 

Not one meaningless name, word, or fact in 
Scripture. Cedron, a fitting place to be crossed 
by the holy feet of the One soon to be a bleed- 
ing sacrifice for the world. He came to Geth- 
semane, or, the oil-press. There, in the garden 



156 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Ill the garden. 

of olive-trees, the berries were crushed, and oil, 
so necessary for service, light, healing, food, 
was expressed ; and there his crushed spirit was 
to suffer as he trod the v^ine-press alone. 

There are now eight venerable olive-trees in 
what is believed to be the place of Jesus's agony. 
This is denied by some, who state that Titus cut 
down all the trees in the vicinity of Jerusalem. 
If that is true, it seems probable, as is reported, 
that these were planted in commemoration by 
some early Christians, for they bear the marks 
of many centuries. 

Leaving the remainder of the disciples within 
the entrance to the garden, Jesus takes the 
three chosen ones with him into the more retired 
shadows of the place. They who had witnessed 
his transfigured glory were to witness his deepest 
humiliation ; they who saw him elevated above 
the mountain enveloped in the brightness of 
heaven, were to see him prostrate on the earth 
in the bitterness of grief. 

He left them to watch while he went a little 
farther on in the darkness, and there he endured 



Jestts in Gethsemane, 157 

If it be possible let this cup pass from me. 

the agony of spirit which no human pen can 
describe, and no mind fully realize. 

We have even some of the words of his 
prayer left for us, words wrung out of deeper 
agony than any created heart ever knew. We 
know of the bloody sweat, the sinking of the 
human frame from the intense anguish, the 
angel which came to strengthen him. We 
know, too, it was the^ conflict of the Saviour 
with the combined powers of evil, for beneath 
the olive-trees in Gethsemane, when the human 
nature shrank from fearful suffering just at 
hand, the same evil one who conquered under 
the tree in Eden camiC to tempt the Son of man ; 
but prayer disarmed the fierce foe, and pur- 
chased for "him that overcometh ... to eat of 
the tree of life, which is in the midst of the 
paradise of God." 

Yet even in that hour human sympathy failed 
him. What pathos in the question : " Could 
ye not watch with me oite hour } " Did it not 
pierce Peter s heart — he who a few days be- 
fore was ready to die with Jesus ? ,Yet, again, 



158 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Thy will be done. 

the disciples slept ; again the Master came, and 
repeated the ever-needed counsel to all his dis- 
ciples : " Watch and pray, that ye enter not 
into temptation." 

See the pity and tenderness of the Saviour, 
even when forsaken, wounded in spirit, about 
to be betrayed. He knew the strain of the 
exciting hours and days past upon their phys- 
ical natures, and his reproof was mingled with 
tender excuse : " The spirit indeed is willing, 
but the flesh is weak." 

Truly their eyes were heavy — the eyes of their 
understanding ; nor did they fully awake until 
the strange deeds of coming days : the cruci- 
fixion, the resurrection morning, the ascension, 
and the day of Pentecost, with its outpouring 
of the Spirit. 

When the hour of agony was past he came 
again to his disciples. Hear the touching words 
from the wounded, wronged One, about to suffer 
wounds and wrongs that gave more outward 
signs, but not keener than the suffering of his 
spirit in Gethsemane : '' Sleep on now, and take 



Jesus in Getksemane, 159 

The hour is at hand. 

your rest : behold, the hour is at hand " — the 
decisive hour on which hung destinies of earth 
and heaven. He knew the waiting hands of 
sinners would soon hold him in their merciless 
power. 

"Rise, let us be going" — going to meet his 
doom, willingly, unfalteringly, strengthened for 
it by the hour of such prayer as never before 
went up to the throne of the Father. 



x6o From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Arrest of Jesus. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

JESUS BEFORE THE HIGH-PRIEST. 

And they led Jesus away to the high-priest : and with him 
were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the 
scribes. — Mark xiv, 53. 

"^T 7HILE Jesus was in the garden Judas 
^ ^ was not asleep. He " knew the place ; " 
his traitor kiss showed the crowd, in the light 
of their lanterns and torches, which of the little 
company to take. Armed with swords and 
clubs, the band, some of whom had authority to 
arrest Jesus, with Judas as their leader, obeyed 
his word, **' hold him fast.'* Well he knew the 
power of miracles, and that the Master had be- 
fore eluded the cunning plans of enemies. But 
" the hour was come " — the unresisting victim 
gave him.self up, though Peter, in his resent- 
ment, stood with drawn sword until the Master 
said, " Put up thy sword into the sheath." 
The last act of the hand so soon to be pierced 



yesus before the High-Priest. i6l 

Despised and rejected of men. 

was an act of mercy : he healed the smitten 
ear of one of his enemies, which Peter, in his 
zeal, had cut off. 

From the combined accounts of all the evan- 
gelists we see all that was done during that 
fearful night. First, the crowd took Jesus, 
bound, to the house of Annas, an old man who 
had formerly been the high-priest, and was 
father-in-law to Caiaphas, the ruling high-priest 
at that time. From his former position, his 
age, and perhaps his presiding sometimes in the 
Sanhedrin, he was regarded with high favor by 
the Jews. Indeed, there was some confusion 
as to who rightfully should be high-priest, as 
Caiaphas had been made so that year by Ro- 
man appointment, while under the strict law of 
Moses the place belonged to Annas. Annas 
sent Jesus to Caiaphas. While the Sanhedrin, 
the council of chief priests, elders, and scribes, 
were summoned, Caiaphas questioned the pris- 
oner, who stood, pale and weary, in the open 
court of his palace, which was probably ar- 
ranged with circular seats for the judge, council, 



i62 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

He opened not Ms moutb. 

and witnesses, a place for the prisoner, and a 
lower or inner, but open, court, where servants 
and the crowd might have gathered. There, in 
the chilly night, after the hours of excitement 
and fear, Peter sat to be warmed by the fire. 
There he denied the Master, who turned and 
looked on him. 

Here, in the early dawn, the Sanhedrin as- 
sembled, not to try the prisoner, to prove his 
innocence, but to put him to death. 

Joseph, of Arimathea, and Nicodemus could 
not have been present; they are the only two 
of the Sanhedrin ever spoken of who had not 
shown from their first knowledge of Jesus a 
malicious desire for his destruction. Doubt- 
less many could be found willing to be false 
witnesses, but too willing to fabricate charges, 
though no two exactly agreed ; and, to have a 
pretense of lawfulness in the trial, two wit- 
nesses must agree. At last two came forward 
who satisfied the assembly of his guilt. 

A long time the holy prisoner was silent be- 
fore his accusers. " He opened not his mouth," 



yesus before the High-Priest, 163 

Christ sentenced. 

until " the high-priest answered and said unto 
him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou 
tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son 
of God." 

The world has judged which was guilty of 
blasphemy ; he who was despised and rejected 
of men, or the high-priest who rent his clothes 
in pretended abhorrence of sin, or those who 
spit in his face and struck him. Gladly they 
hid from their sight the eyes from whose depths 
divine light beamed on them when he said, 
" Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting 
on the right hand of power, and coming in the 
clouds of heaven." They blindfolded him, they 
struck him, tauntingly saying, "Thou Christ, 
who is he that smote thee ? " 

Even in the hour of hatred, and in the exer- 
cise of Satanic power, there was satanic prudence. 
The verdict was, *' He is guilty of death." They 
could not inflict the death penalty without au- 
thority from the governor, therefore Jewish 
hatred invoked what they usually despised, the 
Roman power. 



164 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Caiaphas, the High Priest. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

JESUS BEFORE THE GOVERNOR. 

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet lie opened not 
his mouth : he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a 
sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 
— Is A. liii, 7. 

^n^^HE next scene in this thrilling history was 
in early morning: it was not a quiet hour, 
nor was it marked by the usual hum of begin- 
ning daily labor ; but excited people were run- 
ning through the streets, soldiers with gleaming 
swords were there, and around the house of 
Caiaphas was a clamorous crowd. The high- 
priest, in his sacred vestments, gleamed with 
jewels ; the prisoner, in his common clothing, 
soiled with the mold of the garden-earth, and 
stained with the dews of night, securely bound, 
was in the midst of this promiscuous company, 
and was borne along to the house of the gover- 
nor, Pontius Pilate. 

This was either a palace with a judgment- 



Jeszis before the Goveimor. 165 

Pontius Pilate, the Governor. 

hall partly within its court, and a yard with tes- 
selated pavement in front, where he could set 
up this throne of judgment, or the Castle ot 
Antonio, a strong fortress commanding the 
temple, with a similar yard, both of them built 
by Herod the Great. 

Pilate's home was in Cesarea, but he came to 
stay in Jerusalem during the great feasts, to 
prevent insurrections at the immense gather- 
ings, or to exercise judicial power in cases 
awaiting him. 

Pilate was hated by the Jews for his acts of 
extortion and insult — he had even brought with 
his soldiers the Roman standards, stamped with 
the emperor's image, and raised them in their 
holy city — but, because they hated the meek and 
lowly Jesus even more than the infamous Pilate, 
they gladly appealed to his authority. The 
saintly Sanhedrin would not defile themselves 
by entering a Gentile house during the passover 
season, so they remained without, while Pilate 
came to them, examined into the charges, and 
questioned the prisoner. The Jews knew their 



1 66 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Herod, tho King. 

charge of blasphemy would signify nothing with 
Pilate, so they changed it to one of a political 
nature. Pilate saw their flimsy pretext, for " he 
knew that for envy they had delivered him ; " 
but he could not understand the lordly silence 
of the accused. 

In the fierce voices raging against Jesus, 
Pilate heard the name of Galilee, and caught at 
a vain hope by which he might be relieved of 
this difficult case. 

Herod ruled in Galilee, and was now in Jeru- 
salem ; besides, they had recently had a quarrel, 
and the compliment of thus paying deference 
to him would do much toward conciliating his 
favor. 

So, in mockery of his claim, a kingly robe was 
thrown around the prisoner, and he was sent to 
Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great. 

Another influence came to Pilate ; his wife 
sent her entreaties that he would have nothing 
to do with that *' just man." 

The disciples had fled ; one had betrayed, one 
denied, all had forsaken him ; and the only 



yesus before the Governor, 167 

What shall I do with Jesus ? 

positive voice raised for him was the wife of 
a heathen ruler, her name Claudia Procula. 

Was she, like heathen women of this day, 
groping after a God in whom she could trust, or 
had she heard of Jesus and secretly believed ? 
Why to her was sent a dream, in the dawn of 
that day, of the just and sinless One ? 

Herod satisfied his curiosity ; with his sol- 
diers, mocked and insulted the prisoner ; put 
on him again the royal robe, and sent him back 
to Pilate. One more expedient Pilate tried. It 
was customary at the feast to release one pris- 
oner. In the cell of the fortress, awaiting sen- 
tence, lay a convicted one who had been guilty of 
insurrection, of highway robbery, and of murder. 

Thus thought Pilate, " I can save this Jesus 
after I allow him to be scourged to satisfy their 
rage." So Pilate made the proposition to them, 
" Which shall I release .? '' 

Decisive shouts came quickly back, "Ba- 
rabbas ! '' 

" What shall I do then with Jesus, which is 
called Christ ? " 



1 68 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Pilate's criminal inaction. 

The fearful answer was, " Let him be cruci- 
fied." Three times, Luke tells us, Pilate ask^d, 

" Why, what evil hath he done ? " 

Irresolute, ambitious, hoping to conciliate the 
mob, fearing to offend Cesar, hoping to release 
yet afraid to save, Pilate, "willing to content 
the people," gave over the Saviour to their wrath. 
If he had been sentenced by Jewish law, ston- 
ing would have been the punishment ; if Ba- 
rabbas had been the convicted one, crucifixion 
was the death penalty of Romans. Strangely, 
truly, fulfilling every type of salvation, the 
"just One " was sustituted for the guilty. 

Pilate washed his hands, but the stain of a 
Redeemer's blood rested on his heart, even 
though it was willingly accepted by the nation 
who rejected their Messiah. 

Indecision or inaction is sometimes as posi- 
tively guilt as actual transgression. 

So Pilate yielded to the hoarse shouts, " Cru- 
cify him ! crucify him ! " coming from some of 
the same voices which a few days before had 
mingled in the hosannas. 




The Reed and the Thorns. 



yesus on the Cross, i/i 

Chi-ist mocked by Eoman soldiers. 

CHAPTER XXVI.. 

JESUS ON THE CROSS. 

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. — Luke xxiii, 46. 

\T WHATEVER discussion may have been 
^ ^ as to the previous days of Passion 
Week, all agree that it was on Friday — and 
nearly all that it was the fifteenth of the month 
Nisan — when our Saviour suffered death. 

Pilate had yielded to the wishes of the clam- 
orous people, and the four soldiers who had 
special charge of carrying out the sentence of 
crucifixion took him into the common hall, 
when they called the whole band together. 
They arrayed him in a scarlet robe, placed a 
crown of thorns on his head, put a reed into his 
hand in mockery of a scepter, and derisively 
bowed the knee before him, saying, "Hail, 
King of the Jews ! " They also took the reed 
and smote him on the head, and spit upon him. 

Then, when their cruelties of mockery were ex- 
11 



172 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Simon bears the cross. 

hausted, they again put on him his own clothes 
and led him out to death, having laid his cross 
upon him. The heavy weight nearly crushed 
him beneath its burden ; the Jews would not 
defile their holy hands by touching it, and as a 
Cyrenian passed along, they forced him to help 
bear the burden. Blessed Simon, to bear the 
cross for Jesus ! He was from Cyrene, a city 
of Africa, on the Mediterranean shore. Bless- 
ing came to his household and friends ; they 
are spoken of as if of the household of faith, and 
men of Cyrene were among the first preachers 
of the Gospel in Greece. Simon, probably, 
walked behind the Saviour, so that the heaviest 
part of the cross fell upon his shoulders ; though 
it may be he followed, carrying the cross for 
the Master. So they went to Calvary, a public 
spot just out of the city, and yet not far from 
the temple ; also called Golgotha, for it was 
upon a skull-shaped, or round, rising mound or 
hill. 

Numbers of people followed the strange pro- 
cession, a tumultuous crowd, for there must 



Jesus on the Cross. 173 

Christ nailed to the cross. 

have been every variety of expression of feeling 
there — the idle, the curious, the revengeful, 
open enemies and secret friends. 

We have no record of the thoughts of the 
central One in all that group, whom heaven 
and earth were watching. Once he spoke on 
that mournful way. 

Women who loved him went, doubtless, as 
near him as they could, for he saw their tears, 
and heard how they bewailed and lamented 
him. He turned unto them and spoke ; even 
in that hour his merciful heart spoke of their 
coming sorrow, not of his own. 

Having arrived at the place, the cross was 
soon erected. He was "lifted up," the crown 
of thorns still upon his head ; the nails were 
quickly driven by practiced hands. 

By nine o'clock of our time the work was 
completed ; the Saviour of the world, the Lord 
of heaven, was enduring the deepest degrada- 
tion the ingenuity of Satan ever suggested to 
mortals to inflict 

It was the custom to put on the breast of 



1/4 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Jesus, the King of the Jews. 

the criminal, and also above bis head on the 
cross, a title, the public statement of the crime 
for which he suffered. 

What should be written against Him ? Pilate 
had it inscribed in Hebrew, the language of the 
Jew ; in Greek, well understood in all the East ; 
in Latin, the language of the Romans: ''This 
is Jesus the King of the Jews/' No allegation 
of crime, but a title indeed. 

He had been offered the customary drink 
for criminals, vinegar mingled with gall. He 
tasted, then refused, for with no blunted sensi- 
bilities would he suffer ; the offering of life was 
full, conscious, complete. It was the duty of 
the soldiers to stay and watch, four for each 
victim, for he was " numbered with the trans- 
gressors." At the trial a thief was preferred 
before him ; on the way two robbers were "led 
with him ;" on the cross a thief was crucified 
upon each side of him. 

The soldiers wantonly passed the time in di- 
viding his worn garments, and casting lots for 
the woven inner coat, which they could not di- 



Jesus on the Cross. 175 

Women at the Cross. 

vide. Then was enacted, in the broad Hght of 
an undying day, all the prophetic horrors of the 
twenty-second psalm — the laugh of scorn, the 
wagging head, the cry of agony, the parching 
thirst. Passers by, soldiers, sanctimonious high- 
priests in trailing garments, rulers in robes of 
office, all gazed, mocked, reviled. The few hearts 
of sympathy were some timid disciples, (though 
we have no proof of but one of the twelve being 
there,) believing women, and one thief by his 
side, whose penitent prayer was answered. 

Jesus's eye may have seen inexpressible pity 
in a few of the faces before him, but there was 
not one word of sympathy spoken to him dur- 
ing the fearful six hours upon the cross. 

One tender scene is preserved to us. " Now 
there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother." 
He saw her ; what love beamed in his dying 
eyes ! Well he knew the sword which pierced 
her " own soul also." What thronging memories 
in her heart, from the hour of the overshadow- 
ing wing of the announcing angel until this 
very hour of anguish ! 



1/6 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

It is finished I 

The Son of God, the Son of man, not less 
the loving son of a tender mother, in what few 
chosen words he bid that disciple whom he 
loved be a son to that stricken one. 

Seven times the same voice spoke from the 
cross, the first and last utterance a prayer. 

Noon came, midday — at his birth a new star, 
and the glory of heaven lit up the heavens at 
midnight ; as the agonies of death began, even 
the sun hid his face, and at midday darkness 
enveloped the earth. Gloom, horror, silence, 
fell upon Calvary ; later a cry of agony pierced 
the air — " I thirst ! " and a soldier dipped a 
sponge in the vinegar or sour wine, the soldiers^ 
usual drink, and putting it on a reed of hyssop 
reached it to the parched lips. 

" It is finished ! " Even death did not come 
until he readily "gave up the ghost.'' The 
work completed, one more prayer commended 
that spirit to the Father who " so loved the 
world," and the bursting heart was broken ; 
the life of Jesus on earth was ended. 

Not in silence, for an earthquake rent the 



yestis on the Cross, lyj 

Christ the sacrifice for sin. 

rocks, burst the stone doors of sepulchers, rent 
in twain the costly vail in the temple, which 
hung before the Holy of Holies. The sacrifice 
was offered, accepted, and the lowliest, guiltiest, 
through the death of the Saviour, can ever find 
access to the Father's throne. 



178 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Joseph begs the body of Jesus. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

THE RISEN LORD. 

But now is risen Christ from the dead, and become the first- 
fruits of them that slept. — i CoR. xv, 20. 

A S there was a Joseph of olden time, type of 
'^-^ Jesus, taken from the pit and sold at the 
suggestion of a Judas ; so, after the selling of 
Christ by another Judas, and his death on the 
cross, there was another faithful Joseph who 
begged the loved body that it might be honor- 
ably buried. He went boldly to Pilate with 
his request ; Pilate wondered if death could have 
come so soon, and called the centurion to know ; 
to be certain of it, a soldier thrust a spear into 
his side. 

Nicodemus came, defore the darkness of the 
night, and brought costly spices and linen, fra- 
grant with myrrh and aloes ; a few loving hands 
tenderly inwrapped the tortured, wounded body, 
folded the mangled hands, bound a linen cloth 



The Risen Lord, 179 

His grave with the rich in his death. 

around the thorn-torn brow, and laid it in a 
new sepulcher, hewn out of a rock in a garden 
belonging to the *' honorable counselor," the 
rich Joseph of Arimathea. So He slept — "his 
grave being with the rich in his death;" and a 
few tearful women " watched over against the 
sepulcher " in the twilight, after Friday's sun- ■ 
set. From that sunset was the beginning of 
the Jewish Sabbath of the passover, and formed, 
until the following sunset, Chrisfs first day in 
the grave. Saturday (their Sabbath) he also 
passed in the tomb. This made the second day 
of his entombment. Early on Sunday morn- 
ing he rose from the dead : that event thus occur- 
ring '' on the third day." 

Christ had said to his disciples that on the 
third day he should " rise again ; " but their 
spiritual eyes were in too dense a darkness ^f 
despair to see the meaning. The ever-wakeful 
Satanic shrewdness of the Sanhedrin was sus- 
picious, so they begged a watch from Pilate to 
station around the sealed sepulcher. They did 
not fear to desecrate their holy time by plans 



i8o From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Women first at the torab. 

of business and of work when the object they 
dreamed of accompHshing was to imprison 
within the grave the King they had crucified. 
They securely sealed the stone, and stationed a 
guard of soldiers as a watch ! Thus carefully 
did they guard the Saviour's earthly resting- 
place, "lest, as they said," his disciples should 
come by night and steal him away, and say unto 
the people, " He is risen from the dead/' Would 
not that guard be charged, under such circum- 
stances, to be doubly watchful ? Indeed they 
would. 

As the early dawn of the first day of the 
week was breaking, a few women met and 
walked together on the silent road toward the 
garden, with womanly forethought arranging 
the details of what they were going to do, for 
the coo] air around their path was perfumed by 
the spices they took to anoint the beloved body. 
They said to each other, "Who shall roll us 
away the stone." To their surprise they found, 
on arriving near the sepulcher, that the stone 
was already rolled away — for there had been ar^ 



The Risen Lord, i8i 

He is risen! 

earthquake, and the descent of an angel, who 
had rolled back the stone. The soldiers, too, 
had been greatly alarmed, and so rendered un- 
able to offer any resistance. It does not seem 
that the earthquake had so much frightened 
them as the visible presence of the angel, with 
its face so shining, and its raiment so snowy, 
causing them to tremble with fear, and to become 
as dead men. The hard-hearted soldiers were 
paralyzed ; but the trusting, loving women 
" entered in, and found not the body of the Lord 
Jesus." Mary Magdalene ran to tell John and 
Peter, while the others remained, and to them 
the angels uttered the first easter anthem : " He 
is not here : for he is risen"—" Go and tell his 
disciples." With willing feet they ran to bear 
the message to the disciples, and as they went 
the familiar voice of Jesus said, ^' All hail ! " 

To the early watchers came the first appear- 
ance of the Lord, and with joy they embraced 
his feet, and listened to his message where he 
would meet his disciples. 

It seemed an idle tale, a mirage only, of hope, 



1 82 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Jesus seen by Mary. 

when the disciples heard it ; but Peter and 
John ran to the sepulcher and it was empty — 
the napkin that was about the head folded by 
itself, the clothes vacant. Was not that confirm- 
atory of the story ? They " went away again 
to their own home ; '' but Mary Magdalene lin- 
gered there weeping. Two angels sat within — 
" Woman, why weepest thou ? " 

"Because they have taken away my Lord, 
and I know not where they have laid him." 
" Mary !" O the thrill from that voice, the ac- 
cent of that name ! With ecstasy she listens 
while he gives her a charge for the disciples. 
To her, too, Jesus first showed himself after his 
resurrection. Mark xvi, 9. 

On the first day of the week, which was thus, 
by his resurrection from the grave, set apart 
forever as the Lord's day, the Christian Sab- 
bath, we are told that he appeared five times to 
some of those who loved him. 

Toward evening two friends, as they walked 
talking together of the events of the last few 
days, were joined by one, to them a stranger. 



The Risen Lord, 183 

Christ with the disciples. 

He questioned them, and they told him all. 
When he seemed about to go on they said, 
" Abide with us." Gladly he revealed himself 
to them, and they returned to Jerusalem to tell 
the joyful news — '' the Lord is risen indeed ! " 
There they heard he had already been seen by 
Peter. To the disciple who had denied him he 
manifested himself before he did to the others : 
the words he spoke, whether of forgiveness or of 
counsel, have been hidden from us. The even- 
ing of that first Sabbath the disciples (Thomas 
excepted) were together in an upper room, with 
closed doors, when Jesus himself stood in their 
midst and said, ''■ Peace be unto you ! " 

Even then they were afraid ; but he showed 
them his hands and his feet. With them he 
sat at their evening meal, and ate of *' broiled 
fish and of a honey-comb," and talked of the 
Scriptures which had been fulfilled in him. 

He gave them the commission, " Go ye into 
all the world, and preach the Gospel to every 
creature ;" but bid them " tarry in Jerusalem," 
for he promised them " power from on high." 



1 84 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



Seen of above five hundred. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

THE EVER-PRESENT LORD. 

Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. — 
Matt, xxviii, 20. 

" 'T^HEN the eleven disciples went away into 
-*- Galilee, into a mountain, where Jesus 
had appointed them." Here, too, were gathered 
a great company of believers to whom the mes- 
sage had been sent : " He goeth before you into 
Galilee, there shall ye see him/' To this time 
Paul alludes when he says, ^* After that, he was 
seen of above five hundred brethren at once." 
Some believe this place to have been the Mount 
of Transfiguration, where he first spoke of '' the 
Son of man, risen from the dead." 

This was the fitting close to the ministry of 
miracle and mercy he had performed in Gali- 
lee, and here he directed all who heard him to 
teach and preach in his name, and said, ^' Lo, 



The Ever- Present Lord. 185 

Christ works with his disciples. 

I am with you alway, even unto the end of 
the world." 

Thirty-three years Jesus dwelt on the earth. 
Not alone for the eyes which beheld him, and 
the ears which heard the winning accents of his 
voice, but for all time, all circumstance, all 
places, he is the Immanuel ; not promised in 
the future, but, " I am with you ; " and lest 
doubting spirits should deem that time and 
distance could prevent his presence, he adds, 
*' even unto the end of the world." Has it been 
so indeed.'^ The apostles *'went forth and 
preached every-where, the Lord working with 
them." He whose head rested on the loving 
bosom at the last supper understood the bless- 
ed indwelling. Had he not heard Jesus say, 
*' Abide in me, and I in you } " 

The grand old Apostle Paul realized it when 
he said, " Christ is all and in all." In his wan- 
derings, hunger, persecutions, and tribulations, 
he said, '' I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in 
me." 

No age, no condition, was forgotten in those 



1 86 From Bethlehem to Calvary. 

Whoever will, let him come. 

rich provisions of grace and comfort which Jesus 
has provided for all who will accept his indwell- 
ing, until to each comes the summons to dwell 
" forever with the Lord." No royal bounty was 
ever so lavish as is his proclamation : " Whoso- 
ever will, let him come." And for all who will, 
the promise, "/am with you:" "I" — the Sav- 
iour, who knows every pain, trial, weariness of 
earthly life, in whose ever-sympathizing heart vi- 
brates every heart-throb of every disciple. '^ I am 
with you," not will be, but in the ever present. 
" Great is the mystery of godliness ! " Let none 
dare to doubt its mystery until they can explain 
the union of the soul and body, life and death, 
the secret things of God which he has in reserve 
for our ingenious minds to fathom in the ages 
of heavenly instruction. 

While we cannot now fully comprehend all 
the mysteries of godliness, let us joyfully be- 
lieve ; for we know, that sitting at the Father's 
right hand is that glorified human form which 
the disciples saw transfigured, and it holds that 
great and loving heart which can be "touched 



The Ever-Present Lord, 187 

Christ ascends into heaven. 

with the feeling of our infirmities," whatever 
they may be, wherever in the wide universe, in 
the same hour. That heart can comfort the suf- 
fering, rejoice with the glad, lead the dying, guide 
the tempted, intercede for the praying, forgive 
the repenting, hear and respond to every sigh, or 
even unwhispered aspiration of trust in him. 

Once more Jesus met the disciples in Jeru- 
salem ; there was a last conversation with his 
chosen witnesses, a few more last counsels, the 
precious promise was given : '' Ye shall be bap- 
tized with the Holy Ghost not many days 
hence.'' 

Then he led them out as far as Bethany — 
one of the earth spots Jesus loved, on the slope 
of the Mount of Olives. 

He stood, lifted up his hands, and blessed 
them — rising above them higher and higher, 
they saw a cloud gather around him, and it 
hid him from their sight. 

Was it not a multitude of the heavenly host 

gathering around their returning Lord as he 

ascended to heaven } 
12 



From Bethlehem to Calvary. 



The rapt gaze of the apostles. 



Did not the heavenly chorus gloriously ring 
out as they sang, " Lift up your heads, O ye 




gates ; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors ; 
and the King of glory shall come in ? '* 

As the apostles gazed steadfastly toward 
heaven, whither he had gone — gone from earth 



The Ever-P resent Lord. 189 

Even so ; come, Lord Jesus. 

to sit on the right hand of God — lo, two shining 
ones in v/hite apparel stood by, and said unto 
them, 

"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up 
into heaven ? This same Jesus which is taken 
from you into heaven, shall so come in like man- 
ner as ye have seen him go into heaven." 

The work of redemption- was done, the atone- 
ment made ; through the beloved Son the out- 
cast children, on condition of faith in him, were 
made the sons of God. Presently an orphan was 
adopted in the words, " You shall be my son." 
With sonship was given a home, watchful, 
tender care, loving companionship, education, 
wealth, comfort. So " He that spared not his 
own Son — shall he not with him freely give us 
all things t " 



THE END. 



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Half Hours with Old Humphrey. By George Mogridge. 

i2mo. Price, § I. 
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of Scottish Life. By Jean L. Watson. Six Illustrations. 

l2mo. Price, $1 25. 
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Price, Si 25. 
My Sister Margaret. By Mrs. C. M. Edwards. Illus- 
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Stony Road. A Scottish Story from Real Life. i2mo. 

Price, 85 cents. 
Sunday Afternoons. A Book for Little People. By E. F. 

Burr, D.D. i6mo. Price, 75 cents. 
Temptation and Triumph. By Virginia F. Townsend. 

Revised. i2mo. Price, §1 25. 

My Uncle Toby. His Table Talks and Reflections. By 
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Victoria, with other Poems. By S. I. Henry. 12 mo 
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Village Blacksmith. i8mo. Price, 75 cents. 

Winter at Woodlawn ; or, the Armor of Light. Illustrated 
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Royal Road to Fortune. By Emily H. Miller. Illus- 
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Through the Dark to the Day. A Story. By Mrs 
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-Publications of Nelson ^ j^hillips, 

805 Broadway, New Vork. 

Afternoons "with G-randma. 

From the French of Madame Carraud. By Mrs. Mary 
Kinmont. Beautifully Illustrated. Bound in Muslin. 
16mo |l U 

flousehold Stories. 

From the German of Madame Ottilie Wilde rmuth.. 
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Four Volumes. Each 1 26 

Father's Coming Home. 

By the Author of " Weldon Woods." Four Illustra- 
tions. 16mo 1 00 

Agnes Morton's Trial ; 

Or, the Lost Diamonds. And The Young G-overness. 

By Mrs. Emma N. Janvier. 12mo 1 25 

My Sister Margaret. 

A Temperance Story. By Mrs. C. M. Edwards. Illus- 
trated. 12mo X 36 

ijilian. 

A Story of the Days of Martyrdom in Englanu. xliree 
Hundred Years Ago. Five Illustrations. 16mo.... . 90 

Ethel Linton ; 

Or, The Feversham Temper. By E. A. W., Author of 

*' The Home of the Davenports,'"' etc. 12mo 1 25 

Simple Stories with Odd Pictures; 

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With Twenty Illustrations by Paul Konewka. 16mo. 75 

Young Life; 

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Sarah A. Mather, Author of "Itinerant Side," etc. 
12mo 1 25 

Fraulein Mina; 

Or, Life in an American German Family. By Miss 
Mary H. Norris. 12mo 1 28 

Through Trials to Triumph. 

A Story of Boy's School-life. By Miss H. A. Putnam. 
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Publication^ of jNfel^on ^ PlliUip^, 
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Discontent, and other Stories. By Mrs. H. C. Gardner 
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Little Foxes. By the Author of '* How Marjorie Watched. 
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Helena's Cloud with the Silver Lining. By the Author 
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Little Princess, and other Stories, Chiefly about Christ- 
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Peter the Apprentice. An Historical Tale of the Refor- 
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Romance Without Fiction ; or, Sketches from the Port- 
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Dora Hamilton ; or, Sunshine and Shadow. i6mo. Price, 
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Dying Saviour and the Gipsy Girl. iSmo. Price, 50 cts. 

Bessie and Her Spanish Friends. By the Author of 
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Ben and Bentie Series. School Life of Ben and Bentie. 
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True Stories of the American Fathers. For the Girls 
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Martyrs of the Catacombs. i6mo. Price, 90 cents. 

Anna Lavater. A Picture of Swiss Pastoral Life in the 
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fufelidktiori^ of Xel^ori & Ptiillip^, 



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ARCTIC HEROES. Facts and Incidents of Arctic Ex- 
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1 2 mo. Price, $i 25. 

NORTH-POLE VOYAGES. Embracing Sketches of 
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THE SQUIRE OF WALTON HALL; or, Sketches 
and Incidents from the Life of Charles Waterton, Esq., the 
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JOHN WINTHROP AND THE GREAT COLONY; 

or, Sketches of the Settlement of Boston and of the more 
Prominent Persons connected w^ith the Massachusetts Col- 
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SUMMER DAYS ON THE HUDSON. The Story 
of a Pleasure Tour from Sandy Hook to the Saranac Lakes, 
including Incidents of Travel, Legends, Historical Anec- 
dotes, Sketches of Scenery, etc. By Daniel Wise, D.D. 
Illustrated by 109 Engravings. Price, $2. 

GEMS OF INDIA; or, Sketches of Distinguished Hindoo 
and Mahomedan Women. By Mrs. E. J. Humphrey. 

Illustrated. i2mo. Price, $i 25. 

SIGHTS AND INSIGHTS; or. Knowledge by Travel. 
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GLIMPSES OF OUR LAKE REGION IN 1863, 

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$1 50. 

SIX YEARS IN INDIA ; or, Sketches of India and its 
People, as seen by a Lady Missionary, given in a Series ol 
Letters to her Mother. By Mrs. E. J. Humphrey. Eight 
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LIVINGSTONE IN AFRICA. By Rev. S. A. W. 

Jewett. i2mo. Price, $i ^o. 



Ptifelidatioi}^ of Xel^oi| & i^l\illip^, 

805 Broadway, N. Y. 

AYESHA. A Tale of the Times of Mohammed. B5 
Emma Leslie. IDustrated i2mo. Price, $1 50. 

FLAVI A ; or, Loyal to the End. A Tale of the Church 
in the Second Century. By Emma Leslie. Illustrated 
i2mo. Price, $1 50. 

GLAUCIA. A Story of Athens in the First' Century. B> 
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LEOFWINE, THE SAXON. A Story of Hopes and 
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ELFREDA. A Sequel to Leohvine. By Emma Leslie. 
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QUADRATUS. A Tale of the World in the Church. By 
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SUNSHINE OF BLACKPOOL. By Emma Leslie. 
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HOPE RAYMOND ; or, What is Truth. By Mrs. E. 
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THE TWO PATHS. By Mrs. E. J. Richmond. Price, 

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MEHETABEL. A Story of the Revolution, By Mrs. 
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MORAG ; a Story of Highland Life. i2mo. Price, $1 25. 

MOTHER, HOME, AND HEAVEN. A Collection of 
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DEWDROPS AND SUNSHINE. A Collection of 
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man. Square i8mo. Gilt edge. Price, $i 50. 

JACQUELINE. A Story of the Reformation in Holland. 
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LUCIEN GUGLIERI. By Maiy B. Lee. i6mo. 
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LILIAN. A Story of the Days of Marryrdom in England 
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805 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. 

f he Story of a Pocket Bible. 

Ten illustrations. i2mo $i 25 

Historical Souvenirs of Martin Luther. 

By Charles W. Hubner. Illustrated. i2mo...». - 09 

Words that Shook the World ; 

Or, Martin Luther his own Biographer. By Charles 
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Renata of Este. 

From the German of Rev. Carl Strack. By Cath- 
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Anecdotes of the Wesleys. 

By J. B. Wakeley, D.D. i2mo I 25 

Martyrs to the Tract Cause. 

A contribution to the History of the Reformation. 

By J. F. Hurst, D.D. i2mo 75 

Palissy, the Huguenot Potter. 

By C. L. Bright well. Illustrated. i6mo i 25 

Prince of Pulpit Orators. 

A Portraiture of Rev. George Whitefield, M.A. By 

J. B. Wakeley, D.D. i2mo I 25 

Thomas Chalmers. 

A Biographical Study. By James Dodds. i2mo. i 00 

Gustavus Adolphus. 

The Hero of the Reformation. From the French 
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William the Taciturn. 

From the French of L. Abelous. By Professor J. 

P. Lacroix. Illustrated. i6mo , I aj 

1 ife of Oliver Cromwell. 

By Charles Adams, D.D. i6mo. , ., I 25 

Lady Huntington Portrayed. 

By Rev Z. A. Mudge. i2mo I 25 

Curiosities of Animal Life. 

Recent Discoveries of the Microscope. i2mo.. . o 7f 



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